How U.S.-Venezuela Battle is Affecting Belize’s Oil Supply

Mykel Lenin Castillo Pena

Castillo Pena railed at the international powers that have refused to recognize Venezuela’s electoral process, citing their own internal problems in response. He also noted that some of Venezuela’s allies, from Russia in the far east to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean, have shown their support, and the results of the election were certified by the Association of Caribbean States’ team of electoral monitors based in Trinidad. In fact, fourteen countries sent electoral monitors to observe the election. But closer to home, the attitude of the U.S. and Venezuela’s other opponents have been causing problems for Belize, a member of the Petrocaribe agreement. The inability of Venezuela to receive payments from Belize through the banks caused unnecessary delay with a ship loading in March and the most recent round of fuel price increases. Castillo Pena calls it hypocritical that the U.S. is offering aid to Venezuela while refusing to let it stand on its own feet through petroleum sales.

Mykel Lenin Castillo Peña, Chargé d’Affaires, Venezuelan Embassy

“ [Is it not] a mockery that the United States is offering twenty-one million dollars to help Venezuela, when because of its terrorism Venezuela has retained in the international financial system more than one billion dollars – money that would allow us to overcome some of the difficulties we have. Is that help? In fact, Venezuela has retained in Belize, product of the Petrocaribe Agreement more than [fourteen] million American dollars – money that cannot be transferred to Venezuela as a result of the terrorism of the United States. Not only have the people of Venezuela been affected by these inhumane measures. Be reminded, in the month of March, when a ship loaded with fuel for the people of Belize, product of the Petrocaribe Agreement, took two weeks to unload, generating a series of inconveniences, already known by all. The delay in the unloading of the fuel was due to the fact that, as a result of the North American measures, the transfer for the payment of the ship was rejected on four occasions. The problem was not due to lack of payment from the government, or lack of money from PDVSA. To this, we must add the constant rise in fuel prices. This is the help of the United States, which prevents the development of Venezuela and the Caribbean?”