Eni will continue to produce gas in Venezuela and dialogue with the US after prohibitions

The CEO of the Italian Energy Colossus Eni, Claudio Descalzi, said Tuesday that the group will continue to produce gas in Venezuela to «not create a social crisis» and that has filed a dialogue with the United States to find solutions, after the prohibitions imposed by Donald Trump to receive payments in oil for production in that country.

«We have no business with Venezuela. We produce gas, not oil. As you know, we produce it only for the domestic market, since it goes to families. So, always respecting the norms and sanctions, we work with the US authorities to obtain an exemption; The contract allows it, ”said Descalzi in Ravenna, northern Italy.

Descalzi explained that as Venezuela cannot pay in dollars, in cash, «pay in products, and these products go to the US market.»

And therefore, he said: «We will continue to produce at the moment, because we cannot stop, because we are the only ones that produce gas for Venezuela and if we stop production we would create a social crisis, then it means that they will not pay us as always.»

And he said he has opened a dialogue with Washington to «find a solution.»

«So we will continue, as we have done in the past, respecting everything we have to respect and talking to the United States to see if we can find solutions. I am optimistic by nature because it is difficult to live in this world without optimism and I believe that, therefore, solutions will be found, ”he said.

Eni was one of the companies that received a notification from the US that will no longer be allowed to receive payments in oil for its gas production in Venezuela, after the measures taken by the administration of Donald Trump towards the partners of the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA.

EFE