The Biden administration is banking on a new strategy toward Venezuela, which has grappled with economic and political turmoil under an authoritarian regime, in an attempt to stem mass migration and stabilize the country.
Poor economic conditions, food shortages and limited access to health care have pushed more than 7.7 million people to flee Venezuela, marking the largest displacement in the Western Hemisphere – and many are choosing to go north.
The unprecedented migration has posed a unique challenge for the Biden administration on a politically delicate issue – the handling of the US-Mexico border – and fueled concern among allies domestically. On Thursday, as the president prepared to gather with Western Hemisphere leaders, the mayors of Chicago and Denver met with senior White House officials over the influx of migrant arrivals in their cities.
President Joe Biden’s meetings with Western Hemisphere leaders are part of a broader administration approach to stem migration, establish legal pathways to the US and bolster economies in the region, which is a focus of this week’s gathering.
And already, Venezuela has been a topic of discussion.
The increase in migration and upcoming elections in Venezuela opened the door for the administration to move forward with a new set of actions. After months of internal policy debates – including skepticism from Biden – the administration softened its stance on Venezuela and began to peel back the sanctions imposed under the Trump administration.
Officials wrestled with whether to accompany relief based on steps taken by the regime or “go big at the very beginning,” according to a senior administration official. They opted for the latter.
The senior administration official described it as an “opening salvo.”
“We saw the steps toward election in 2024 as a…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply