Venezuelan gov’t succeeds in “normalizing” fuel supplies nationwide: oil chief

Caracas, Venezuela | XINHUA |   Venezuela’s government on Thursday said it has succeeded in “normalizing” the supply of fuel throughout the South American country, following weeks of severe shortages and disrupted distribution.

Starting Monday, the country’s 1,568 gasoline service stations will be reactivated after production at two of the country’s main refineries was restored, Minister of Petroleum Tareck El Aissami told reporters at a press conference in Caracas.

“In addition, we are making a great effort — exchange mechanisms with other countries from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) — to guarantee supplies, additives and spare parts to achieve what is necessary to continue strengthening our refineries,” he said.

Venezuela’s oil infrastructure is suffering “the serious consequences caused by the persecution and unilateral coercive measures, misnamed sanctions, the United States government has imposed” on state-owned oil company PDVSA, said El Aissami.

For much of the year, Venezuela, a traditional producer of oil and oil byproducts, has had severe difficulties in supplying fuel and even had to resort to importing gasoline from Iran, as it did in May.

This year, Washington stepped up sanctions against PDVSA, affecting its sale, export and import operations.

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XINHUA