WILLEMSTAD.- The Government of Curaçao received on Thursday the news from Washington DC, that the Ministry of Finance of the United States exonerated, with an issue called “specific license” to benefit the activities of Isla Refinery, Curaçao Utilities BV and Curoil NV. These Licenses allow the companies concerned to continue deploying transactions and operational activities to keep the Refinery open. It also gives interested parties or partners (americans), dispensation until January 15, 2020 of the sanctions that the United States imposed against PDVSA, so that they can do business with these government companies.
Exemption is an important step to keep the Refinery operational and attract new partners in the future. The sanctions of the United States form a barrier for both trajectories. With the exoneration, a large part of this barrier is temporarily removed. A more detailed and concrete analysis of “specific license” that was issued today, will clarify if the license helps to avoid any possible impediment, or requires more foresight. There will soon be a consultation regarding this in Washington DC, during a working visit to be made by Prime Minister Rhuggenaath in mid-May.
The Government, in close collaboration with the Embassy and the Plenipotentiary Minister of Curaçao in Washington, took an action since last year and held talks with authorities in the United States regarding the situation in Venezuela, the United States sanctions and our interests. At the same time, other possibilities for collaboration with the United States were inventoried so that this creates an optimal space to protect the interests of Curaçao and in particular, those of the Refinery and those related to the supply of fuel.
