EU approves sanctions against Venezuela
The European Union (EU) has imposed a series of new economic sanctions on Venezuela, stepping up pressure on the government of President Nicolas Maduro which the bloc blames for the political crisis gripping the Latin American state.
Foreign ministers of the 28-member bloc agreed without debate to ban arms sales and export of military and surveillance equipment to Venezuela on Monday.
“In addition to its political and diplomatic efforts in support of a peaceful negotiated way out of the political crisis, the council has today decided by unanimity to adopt restrictive measures, underscoring its concerns with the situation in the country,” the EU said in a statement.
The ministers said they held back from targeting any Venezuelan individuals, but warned that the legal basis for individual travel bans to Europe and the freezing of any assets in the bloc “will be used in a gradual and flexible manner and can be expanded.”
“Everything we do is aimed at seeking dialogue between the government and the opposition to find a democratic and peaceful solution,” Spain’s Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis said at the meeting on Monday.
In the statement, the EU also criticized Caracas over October 15 regional elections, which they said took place amid “reported numerous irregularities.”
The ruling Socialist Party of President Maduro won a landslide victory by winning governorship of most of the states across the country. The right-wing Democratic Unity Coalition, which secured five state governorships, however, refused to recognize the results and called for street protests.
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