Correction appended below.
In this special edition of the Americas Quarterly Podcast, an interview with Juan S. Gonzalez, the White House’s top Latin America official, about the potentially transformative deal announced this week between the U.S. and Venezuela. The U.S. is partially lifting economic sanctions that have been in place for several years on Nicolás Maduro’s regime. In return, Maduro has committed to holding free and fair elections in the second half of 2024. What happens if the Maduro government doesn’t hold up its end of the bargain? Will the opposition’s likely candidate, María Corina Machado, be allowed to run? Will these changes improve conditions on the ground in Venezuela? Gonzalez answers these and other questions. He is senior director for the Western Hemisphere at the National Security Council.
In this episode, host Brian Winter incorrectly said Venezuela’s oil production may double as a result of the agreement with the United States. He should have said Venezuela’s oil revenues may double, according to some analysts.
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Guests:
Juan S. Gonzalez is senior director for the Western Hemisphere at the National Security Council.
Brian Winter is the editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly.
Supplemental reading:
The U.S.-Venezuela Agreement: Big Hopes and Big Questions by Tony Frangie-Mawad
AQ Podcast: Making Sense of Venezuela’s Elections
AQ Podcast: The White House’s Juan Gonzalez on Mexico Relationship, Venezuela and More
