As part of his participation in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, held in Turkey, the Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, Jorge Arreaza, spoke on Saturday in the panel “Energy: What future awaits us?,” where he discussed, in the company of representatives from Turkey, Germany, Ukraine and Madagascar, aspects of energy transition and its impact on climate change and the preservation of the planet.
The Venezuelan foreign minister said that energy transition cannot be organized by decree as oil and gas will continue to be used in future decades.
Arreaza highlighted that there are inequalities among countries, especially in the Global South, to access the technologies needed to move forward towards “green energies,” and a multilateral plan is required to grant funds so that all the countries can prepare technologically for energy transition.
When asked if he considers that the new U.S. administration will lift sanctions against Venezuela, Arreaza said that the Bolivarian Revolution has put up with different U.S. administrations in over 20 years.
“It’s a system, and sometimes it can change its tactics, but not its strategic objectives,” said Arreaza, who recalled that Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves, in addition to gas, coal, wind and hydro power, a guarantee of energy for the U.S and the rest of America.
“The capitalist model needs those resources,” said Minister Arreaza, pointing out that unilateral coercive measures aim to take over Venezuelan oil.
“Our arms are held open towards the United States. We need foreign investment in Venezuela,” he stressed.
The Venezuelan foreign minister insisted that if the United States wants to have a relation of mutual respect with Venezuela and invest in oil, “they are more than welcomed. If they want to continue being aggressive with our country, they must know they will never be able to control our oil.”
During his participation in the panel, Arreaza also stressed the importance of energy for geopolitics, the survival of human beings and the planet. He agreed with the German panelist that there are not innocent energies, but there are some less innocent than others, and the dilemma is to correctly pick up the most suitable one.
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum is held to strengthened international diplomacy and it’s attended by representatives from countries and multilateral organizations. It will close on Sunday, June 20.