Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Willemstad, Curacao
Willemstad, Curacao - Credit: Photo: disorderly/DepositPhotos
Business
Curacao
United States
Venezuela
American Sanctions
sanctions
Isla refinery
refinery
PdVSA
Stef Blok
ministry of foreign affairs
Friday, May 3, 2019 - 10:00
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Curacao refinery temporarily exempted from US sanctions against Venezuela

American companies can again do business with the Isla refinery in Curacao, despite United States sanctions against the Venezuelan state oil company PdVSA. The Curacao government owns the refinery and leases it to PdVSA, NOS reports

The US Department of Finance now issued a waiver to Curacao. The island is exempted from the sanctions until January 15th, 2020. According to the Curacao government, the exemption is an important step towards keeping the refinery open and attracting new partners for the future of the Isla refinery. Due to the sanctions, the refinery has not been operating for months.

The lease contract with the PdVSA expires on December 31st of this year. PdVSA has no money for the innovations required to meet new environmental standards, and Curacao is therefore looking for a new operator for the Isla refinery. The American sanctions were a major barrier for this. A large part of this obstacle has been removed with the exemption, even though it is only temporary, according to the broadcaster.

Exactly what the exemption will allow the refinery to do, still has to be worked out. According to NOS, it is likely that the exemption will allow the refinery to work for the Curacao and Bonaire markets, if not for the Venezuelan market. 

The Netherlands and Curacao previously helped the United States out by agreeing to the Americans' request to set up a humanitarian support point for Venezuela at Willemstad airport.

Minister Stef Blok of Foreign Affairs is currently visiting Curacao to discuss the situation in Venezuela, a close neighbor for the Dutch island. On Tuesday Blok promised to assist the Curacao government in its search for a new strategic oil partner. 

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Dutch students less interested in German studies; Spanish gaining popularity
  • Women's prison guard suspected of sexual abuse
  • Mondriaan painting sold for $315,000 in New York
  • Netherlands teaming up with Germany, Denmark for more offshore wind farms
  • Satanic pedophile network tales cost conspiracy theorists €215,000 in damages
  • Rutte's lack of transparency a pattern, opposition says in deleted texts debate

Top stories

  • Storm warning intensified: Code orange alert issued for three Dutch provinces
  • Cabinet cutting €2.2 billion from climate, development funds to push into Defense: report
  • PM Rutte's deleted texts can't be recovered; Parliamentary debate today
  • Thunderstorms in Netherlands on Thursday: Code Yellow
  • More substantial minimum wage increase set for next year: Report
  • Labor strike to shut The Hague public transportation on June 2

© 2012-2022, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content