Brussels, Feb 22, (dpa/GNA) – The European Union sanctioned 19 additional Venezuelan officials on Monday, accusing them of human rights abuses and undermining democracy or the rule of law.
Among those added to the sanctions list are several judges of the constitutional chamber of the supreme court and members of the national electoral council.
They join another 36 officials who have already been banned from travelling to the EU and saw their assets in the EU frozen. Exports to Venezuela of weapons and equipment that could be used against civil society are also banned.
Venezuela is in the throes of a power struggle between Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government and the opposition, led by Juan Guaido.
The former has the backing of China, Russia, Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua, while the latter is supported by a number of Latin American and European nations as well as the United States.
The political crisis has caused severe economic shortages in the oil-rich country, triggering a humanitarian disaster.
Sanctions were first introduced in 2017.
After the EU Council added 11 Venezuelan officials to the list in June last year, Maduro ordered the EU ambassador to Caracas to leave the country. He reversed the decision a few days later after pushback from the EU.
GNA