Maduro: Biden made a grave mistake

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that the United States "shot itself in the foot" by reimposing oil sanctions on his country, announcing the signing of new contracts for gas and oil investment.

Maduro said during a meeting in Caracas with workers from the Venezuelan state-owned oil company Petroleos (Pedivesa) on Thursday, "I think, Mr. President Biden, that you made a grave mistake. You shot yourself in both feet."

He added, "By trying to harm us, you are doing yourself double damage because Venezuela will continue on its path and no one will stop us."

The United States announced on Wednesday that it would withdraw the license granted to work with the Venezuelan oil and gas sector, which is considered a re-imposition of sanctions on the Venezuelan energy sector.

The US Treasury Department set May 31 as a deadline for settling pending transactions and included a section allowing companies wishing to do business with Venezuela to apply for specific licenses.

Foreign Minister Ivan Gil had confirmed that "Venezuela once again rejects the United States government's claim to monitor, place, supervise, control, and manipulate the Venezuelan oil industry through its illegal policy of imposing coercive measures and violations."

He added that with this action, the United States “completed its policy of violating the commitments made” in September in Qatar, where  Washington promised at the time to end the sanctions imposed in exchange for holding presidential elections in 2024 .