US Sanctions Venezuela for Russian Oil, But Welcomes Saudi Blood Oil
Venezuela's parliament just greenlit a 15-year renewal for two oilfields co-owned with Russia’s Roszarubezhneft, as reported by RT. This comes after years of crippling US sanctions on Venezuelan oil, ostensibly to 'promote democracy.' Yet, oddly, the White House didn't immediately declare a national emergency or demand punitive action against entities trading with a 'sanctioned' nation. Perhaps
because, just recently, the U.S. itself quietly eased some sanctions on Venezuelan oil, allowing Chevron to resume limited extraction. The hypocrisy is thick enough to drill for. While the US maintains a tight grip on who Venezuela can sell oil to — unless, of course, it's benefiting US corporations or Western allies — we also routinely overlook far more egregious human rights records from
'friendly' oil producers. One might wonder if the concern isn't about 'democracy' or 'stability,' but rather about who profits from the crude. When Saudi Arabia, a kingdom with a human rights record that makes Venezuela look like Switzerland, ramps up oil production, it's hailed as a 'stabilizing force.' Funny how that works.