CARACAS (Reuters) – A group representing creditors of cash-strapped Venezuela said on Wednesday none of its members had met with representatives of President Nicolas Maduro, after Bloomberg reported American financiers had met with government officials in Caracas.
The Tuesday report said holders of Venezuela’s defaulted bonds discussed with officials including Maduro a plan to grant creditors rights to some of the OPEC nation’s vast oil reserves.
Washington’s sanctions, aimed at ousting Maduro, block U.S. individuals from most deals with Venezuela’s government.
“Neither the committee nor its members have engaged in any discussions or negotiations with the Maduro regime or its delegates,” the Venezuela Creditors Committee, which groups several funds that own Venezuelan debt, said in the statement.
“Moreover, to our knowledge, no proposals exist. The committee has complied and will continue to comply with all U.S. sanctions.”
Elliott Abrams, the U.S. special representative on Venezuela, said on Tuesday the proposal described in the Bloomberg story would “open those involved to U.S. sanctions.”
(Reporting by Luc Cohen; Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick in Washington; Editing by Chris Reese)
