During Wednesday’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” NPR White House Correspondent Deepa Shivaram discussed the prisoner swap agreement between the United States and Venezuela.
She pointed out that Venezuela has already missed deadlines to fulfill the conditions set under the Barbados Agreements, which were meant to result in the U.S. easing sanctions.
Despite this, the U.S. did not reimpose sanctions. Shivaram highlighted that Venezuela missed a deadline on November 30, but no sanctions were reinstated despite previous threats.
In the context of domestic politics, Shivaram observed that there are significant issues at play for President Joe Biden. The influx of Venezuelan migrants to the U.S. southern border, along with the interconnected issues of oil prices and migration, are sensitive topics leading up to the 2024 elections.
She emphasized that maintaining the deal with Venezuela may be a politically strategic move for Biden on the home front, given the relevance of oil and migration as hot-button issues in the upcoming elections.
