Washington, Feb 1 (EFE). - US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday an agreement with India for it to purchase Venezuelan crude, whose sector has been liberalized after the capture of Nicolás Maduro, instead of importing it from Iran. 'India is entering the market and is going to buy Venezuelan oil, instead of buying it from Iran. So we have already closed that agreement and we welcome India to come and buy oil,' he explained to the press aboard the presidential Air Force One plane. Asked about the oil business he had with Chavismo, Trump assured that the Asian giant will be 'welcome' if it wants to enter the Venezuelan market. India is actually one of the largest buyers of Russian oil, a dependency that it is trying to reduce in the face of Washington's tariff threats. Amid US pressure, the Venezuelan Parliament, controlled by Chavismo, unanimously approved this Thursday the reform of the Organic Hydrocarbons Law promoted by the in-charge president, Delcy Rodríguez, to encourage private and foreign investment in the oil sector. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a call on Friday from the in-charge president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, in which they agreed, among other things, 'to deepen energy cooperation'. Diplomatic and oil industry sources consulted independently by EFE this Saturday reported that New Delhi is looking for a 'safe corridor' for Venezuelan barrels, free of sanctions.
