The top U.S. envoy on Venezuela called on the incoming Biden administration on Thursday to use the leverage he believes has been gained from years of tough sanctions aimed at ousting socialist President Nicolas Maduro and urged against offering him any “giveaways.” By Matt Spetalnick, Humeyra Pamuk. Full Text -> Reuters

“We are able to distinguish between democratic actors who differ on strategy and people who work with the regime to undermine democracy. We will not hesitate to apply the full force of U.S. sanctions to the latter group, as we have been doing in the last few years. To all Venezuelans who struggle for free elections and a restoration of democracy, we continue to pledge our full support”. Full Text-> U.S. Embassy in Georgia

“I think that what Ambassador Abrams said was misinterpreted. What he meant was that all options remain on the table. It is clear that Venezuela represents a threat to the region and the United States, especially because of its relationship with Iran, a state that promotes terrorism, illegal armed groups such as the FARC or the ELN, and drug traffickers.” By José Gregorio Martínez. Full Text-> PanamPost

In a harsh response to the increasing division in the Venezuelan opposition, U.S. special envoy Elliott Abrams said that one opposition leader’s latest comments on a potential American military intervention to solve the country’s crisis reminded him of Gabriel García Márquez’s “magical realism.” By Nora Gamez Torrez. Full Text-> Miami Herald

Even if Abrams were the most efficient and effective civil servant ever to grace the halls of Foggy Bottom, he would still have to struggle to overcome the forces arrayed against him. Maduro’s murderous regime is buttressed by Russia, China, Cuba, Iran—yes, the other country Abrams is now focusing on has a close, supportive relationship with Venezuela—and indifference from a dysfunctional White House. What a difference a few months can make. By Benjamin Parker. Full Text-> TheBulWard

The selection signifies a hardline push for the administration against Iran in the final months of Trump’s first term as the revolutionary Shiite Muslim power continues to defy U.S. attempts to force it to change what Washington calls Tehran’s “malign behavior” across the Middle East. By Tom O’Connor. Full Text-> Newsweek

U.S. Senate hearing. Committee Foreign Relations.

Witnesess:

Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams ;

Mr. Josh Hodges
Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, United States Agency for International Development. Full Video ->The Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Greetings to everyone from the U.S. Department of State’s Media Hub of the Americas in Miami, Florida.  I would like to welcome our participants who have dialed in from the United States and across the region, and thank you for your patience.  We wanted to give a few extra minutes for journalists to join this call today.   Full text -> US Department of State