Caracas tightens energy ties as pressure mounts

摘要

Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro is falling back on energy alliances with Caribbean countries, as larger regional neighbours step up pressure on Caracas to allow a presidential recall referendum, amid growing domestic unrest. Maduro scored a diplomatic success on 23 May, with LNG exporter Trinidad and Tobago agreeing to finance the construction of a pipeline to transport gas that its state-run NGC plans to purchase from Venezuela’s Dragon field. The gas will help revive Trinidad’s LNG production and supply projects that have been stalled by fuel shortages, such as Japanese firm Mitsubishi’s $1bn methanol and DME complex, Trinidad’s prime minister, Keith Rowley, says.