Even as the latest round of sanctions imposed by the United States against Venezuela, seemingly over Washington’s doubts regarding the likely fairness of the country’s July general elections, the European Union does not appear – at least up to this time – prepared to set aside its support for the potentially highly valued Dragon Gas project between Caracas and Port of Spain. In the face of the US re-imposing sanctions on Venezuela’s energy sector this week, the European Union (EU) remains steadfast in its interest in, and potential support for the Dragon Gas pipeline between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago [T&T].
What is believed to be the Biden administration’s disposition to ‘green-lighting’ the project upon which the economies of both Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela appear heavily dependent, has now elicited responses from other countries in Europe which would appear to be supportive of the project going ahead, the prevailing rocky relationship between Washington and Caracas notwithstanding. The Trinidad Guardian of Wednesday April 17 quotes European Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, Peter Cavendish, as signaling the European Union’s reported “willingness” to support the project while Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, has reportedly also endorsed the project, indicating that Budapest is willing to favour the undertaking, which involves the creation of a 90-kilometre pipeline between the two countries, when Budapest assumes the presidency of the EU in July this year.