Venezuela and the U.S. to Try and Improve Relationship

Relations between the US and Venezuela have been famously frosty during the term of President Hugo Chavez, yet it now seems that the two may be willing to try and repair ties by agreeing on the return of US anti-drug agents to the South American country. Is this a sign of things to come in a Venezuela without Chavez, especially as his health continues to be questioned due to the fact he has not been seen since his cancer surgery five weeks ago.

Chavez rose to fame as a controversial world leader with his strong criticism of the US. In 2005 he famously ejected US anti-drug agents from the country and withdrew all cooperation after he accused them of spying on his government.

Then Venezuela were outraged when President Obama attacked the policies of the ailing Hugo Chavez, lambasting them as “despicable comments at such a delicate moment,” and claiming that the sent relations between the two countries to real low.

Related Article: What to Expect from a Post-Chavez Venezuela

Vice President Nicolas Maduro has assured that President Chavez is on the mend, and has entered a new phase of treatment following the complex post-operation period, yet many are taking the possibility of talks between the US and Venezuela as a sign that Chavez’s days as President may be over.

Roy Chaderton, Venezuela’s ambassador to the Orgnaisation of American States, has explained that “things are being done with a great deal of seriousness and a lot of caution.”

“We are not obliged to have bad ties with governments which have different visions to ours ... I hope pragmatism prevails in this initiative and we reach a fair place of mutual interest.”

By. Joao Peixe of Oilprice.com