Venezuela Roundup: Oil purchases, election candidacy, migration agreement

India pauses Venezuela oil purchases

India has paused purchases of crude oil from Venezuela as the U.S. sanctions waiver on Venezuela’s oil exports is set to expire. Indian refiners, including Reliance Industries and Indian Oil Corporation, have suspended purchases to avoid complications if sanctions are reimposed. The waiver, in place since October, allowed for trade with Venezuela's oil. India, the world’s third-largest crude oil importer, had resumed imports from Venezuela in December after the U.S. lifted most sanctions.

Opposition blocked from election registration80-year-old Corina Yoris, Venezuela's main opposition candidate, was blocked from registering for the presidential election in July. This comes after the opposition leader, María Corina Machado, was also barred from running. Despite attempts to register Yoris's candidacy, the opposition coalition was unsuccessful. President Nicolás Maduro, on the other hand, had no problems registering for a third term, according to the BBC.

Maduro files candidacy

Venezuelan President Maduro filed his candidacy for the July presidential elections, seeking a third term. His party officially selected him, with over 4.2 million party members choosing him in a primary election. He emphasized his commitment to defending the country's independence and freedom. "I accept the mandate given to me by the people to tackle new challenges," Maduro told supporters. Maduro, 61, has been in power since 2013 and was re-elected in 2018 in polls criticised by the international community.

Migration agreement with Mexico

Mexico has signed an agreement with Venezuela to deport migrants and reached deals with Mexican and Venezuelan companies to employ them. There are 4,000-5,000 Venezuelan migrants currently stranded in Mexico, mostly in the city of Tijuana. According to Mexican media, the Mexican government will give migrants around US$110 a month and the opportunity to work for different companies in both countries. This measure has raised protests from millions of Mexicans who do not agree with giving away millions of dollars to foreigners.

Essequibo Law

President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro plans to issue decrees to protect Venezuelan territorial integrity once the Law for the Defense of Guayana Esequiba comes into force. The Law, which was unanimously approved by the Venezuelan National Assembly on March 21 now awaits President Maduro’s signature before entry into force. "As soon as that happens, we will issue decrees to strengthen our country's struggle for the recovery of the Guayana Esequiba, which is part of the Venezuelan territory," Maduro said. The law aims to strengthen the country's struggle for the recovery of the disputed territory from Guyana. The Essequibo region is rich in natural resources and has been a point of dispute between the two countries for over a century. The law also creates the state of "Guayana Esequiba" and nullifies the Paris Arbitration Award in favour of Guyana, local media Telesur reports.