Venezuela’s state-run PDVSA has ordered over a hundred stations to begin selling diesel in dollars, reducing a subsidy that had allowed truckers and public transportation drivers to fill their tanks almost for free, according to documents and sources. Full Text -> BrazilEnergyInsight

TRaducción de cortesía -> La estatal PDVSA de Venezuela ordenó a más de cien estaciones que comiencen a vender diésel en dólares, reduciendo un subsidio que había permitido a los camioneros y conductores de transporte público llenar sus tanques casi gratis, según documentos y fuentes

 Venezuela’s first diesel imports since November arrived this week aboard the tanker Bueno, carrying almost 500,000 barrels of fuel desperately needed by farmers and truckers in the sanction-hit country, according to a shipping document and two sources. By Mircely Guanipa and Marianna Parraga. Full Text -> Nasdaq

Venezuelan farmer Agustin Zenere should have been planting corn by the second week of May – a crucial task in the economically devastated South American country where 7 million people are food insecure. Instead, his 30-hectare (74-acre) plot of land in the breadbasket town of Turen was still covered with the brown, shriveled leaves of a sesame crop he could not harvest in time because the government had not given him enough diesel to run his tractors. By Luc Cohen and Keren Torres. Full Text -> ReginaLiderPost

The Agricultural and Livestock Union of the Andes of Venezuela (Unagandes), one of the most active of its kind in the country, on Monday warned of a food shortage as a result of the lack of fuel, which, it said, is preventing over 90% of producers from plowing the fields. Full Text -> TheRioTimes

Venezuelan farmers, manufacturers and retailers on Wednesday pressed President Nicolas Maduro to speed up a plan to resolve shortages of diesel, warning that lack of fuel was threatening harvests and food transport in the crisis-stricken country. Maduro last week called on his oil minister to present a plan to boost diesel production within 72 hours. Aquiles Hopkins, president of Venezuela’s Fedeagro farmers’ association, said authorities had not contacted farmers and he was not aware of any plan. By Luc Cohen. Full Text ->Reuters

Oil minister Tareck El Aissami and agriculture minister Wilmar Castro have been tasked with ensuring up to 30,000 b/d of low-sulfur diesel to farmers and livestock producers within two months, at still-undefined international prices. The plan would set supply quotas for sub-sectors such as vegetable and grains production and establish dedicated service stations in farm states. The Fedenaga livestock federation and Fedeagro farming federation welcomed the plan as a step in the right direction but warned that Venezuela could exhaust its remaining low-sulfur diesel stocks within two weeks. Full Text-> ArgusMedia

Venezuelan farmers said on Thursday that they had asked the government to allow them to import diesel themselves to alleviate shortages of the fuel that are hindering food production and distribution. By Deisy Buitrago. Full Text -> Successful Farmer

Iván Freites, from the Federation of Oil Workers, rejected the notion of the diesel fuel crisis being caused by sanctions that block production: “Fuel in Venezuela isn’t a matter of production, it’s a political strategy,” he said. “Today we produce 65,000 barrels of diesel fuel and 50,000 barrels of gas (…) But Cuba is the priority, then contraband and Venezuela comes third,” he said. By Naky Soto -> Full Text -> CaracasChronicles

V enezuelan state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela has begun rationing diesel to truckers, four transport sector sources told Reuters, as low domestic refining output and scarce imports amid U.S. sanctions squeeze fuel supplies. By Tibisay Romero, Mircely Guanipa. Full Text -> Reuters

Experts are warning of a looming humanitarian crisis in Venezuela if President Joe Biden’s new U.S. administration does not lift restrictions that are preventing the South American country from swapping its plentiful crude oil reserves for refined diesel fuel from abroad. With Venezuela’s refinery sector in disarray after years of mismanagement, the country has become increasingly dependent on imported diesel fuel to generate electricity and transport essential goods including food, medicine and humanitarian supplies. By Alejandra Arredondo, Gustavo Ocando Alex. Full Text -> VOA