*

U.S. authorities notified Repsol they will revoke

authorisation

*

Repsol has until May 27 to wind down operations in

Venezuela

*

Maurel & Prom, Eni were also notified

(Recasts with Repsol CEO comments, adds context in paragraphs

1-5, 8)

MADRID, March 31 (Reuters) -

Spain's Repsol is in an "open and fluid dialogue"

with U.S. authorities as it explores ways to keep operating in

Venezuela after Washington moved to revoke its license to export

oil from the country, CEO Josu Jon Imaz said on Monday.

Like

other foreign firms

operating in Venezuela, Repsol has been notified that its

permit to export Venezuelan oil would be revoked, a company

spokesperson said earlier on Monday, prompting Spain's Foreign

Minister Jose Manuel Albares to promise that the government

would defend Repsol's interests.

"We are in direct contact with the American authorities

and we are going to see if we are able to find mechanisms that

may allow us to continue with our activity in this country,"

Imaz told the "Wake Up Spain" business event in Madrid.

The company always abides by Venezuelan and

international law, including sanction regimes, he added.

Under the permit issued by the previous U.S.

administration, Repsol agreed to receive oil from PDVSA as

payment for debt. It increased import volumes last year.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration told Repsol

it had until May 27 to wind down its operations in the Southern

American country, the spokesperson added.

Oil companies Maurel et Prom from France and Eni

from Italy have said during the weekend they had been

notified by the U.S. government that their respective

authorisations to operate in Venezuela were revoked.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his government have

always rejected sanctions by the United States and others,

saying they are illegitimate measures that amount to an

"economic war" designed to cripple the country. Maduro and his

allies have cheered what they say is the country's resilience

despite the measures, though they have historically blamed some

economic hardships and shortages on sanctions.

Last week, Trump issued an executive order declaring that

any country buying oil or gas from Venezuela will pay a 25%

tariff on trades with the United States.

The previous administration had authorised exceptions to

U.S. sanctions on Venezuela to allow individual companies to

source Venezuelan oil to feed refineries from Spain to India.

The companies that had received licenses and comfort letters

from Washington also include India's Reliance Industries

and U.S. Global Oil Terminals.