U.S. Calls for broad Venezuela Transitional Government, lays out proposal for sanctions relief

The Trump administration on Tuesday called for a power-sharing transitional government in Venezuela made up of the opposition and some members of President Nicolas Maduro’s Socialist Party, and laid out for the first time how U.S. sanctions might be lifted, including on the vital oil sector. With the South American nation squeezed by a U.S. economic pressure campaign, low world oil prices and a pandemic, Washington unveiled a toned-down approach aimed at promoting fair elections this year to end the political crisis in the country. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is due to formally announce the administration’s Democratic Transition Framework for Venezuela, which will offer an exit path from tough U.S. sanctions if Maduro and his allies cooperate.