[News] US Slaps Venezuelans with New Sanctions

[Anti-Imperialist News]

  US Slaps Venezuelans with New Sanctions

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/11181 
<http://venezuelanalysis.com/printmail/11181>
Published on Feb 3rd 2015 at 10.15am
<http://venezuelanalysis.com/printmail/11181><http://venezuelanalysis.com/print/11181> 


By TeleSUR English

The United States officially imposed new sanctions on Venezuela Monday, 
amid accusations from President Nicolas Maduro that Washington is trying 
to destabilize his country.

The new sanctions expand the number of Venezuelan government officials 
barred from entering the United States.

“These restrictions will also affect the immediate family members of a 
number of those individuals subject to visa restrictions for believed 
involvement in human rights abuses or for acts of public corruption,” 
said State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki.

Psaki continued by stating, “We will not publicly identify these 
individuals because of U.S. visa confidentiality laws, but we are 
sending a clear message that human rights abusers, those who profit from 
public corruption, and their families are not welcome in the United States.”

  Maduro hit back at the announcement by accusing the U.S. government of 
hypocrisy.

  “They kill black youth in the street with impunity, they persecute and 
have concentration camps of Central American kids. (In Guantanamo), they 
have abducted dozens of citizens of the world under no known legal 
system, submitting them to torture, isolation," he said during a speech.

  Maduro has previously accused U.S. officials of plotting to topple his 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Maduro-Says-Obama-Knows-about-Plans-against-Venezuela-20150130-0031.html>government 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Maduro-Says-Obama-Knows-about-Plans-against-Venezuela-20150130-0031.html>.

  He asked, “What human rights are they talking about?”

The new U.S. sanctions are in response to a wave of unrest that hit 
Venezuela in early 2014. Around 43 people died as anti-government groups 
took to the streets with weapons ranging from firearms to molotov 
cocktails and home-made bazookas to demand Maduro step down. According 
to an analysis of the death toll by independent media collective 
Venezuelanalysis, around half the casualties were government supporters, 
state security personnel or ordinary members of the public likely killed 
by anti-government groups. Venezuelan authorities have arrested 
opposition figures it claims masterminded the violence including 
Leopoldo Lopez, while also pressing charges against security personnel 
accused of misconduct.

However, Psaki described the opposition violence as “peaceful protests.”

  “We emphasize the action we are announcing today is specific to 
individuals and not directed at the Venezuelan nation or its people,” 
she said.

  However, Venezuelan foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Venezuela-Stands-Tall-in-the-Face-of-Imperialist-Threats-20150202-0021.html> told 
private broadcaster Venevision that the U.S. and corporate media are 
trying to mislead the international community about Venezuela.

  “All imperialist wars have been precipitated by media campaigns such 
as this one, giving false information that aims to provide the world 
with the justification for an intervention,” said Rodriguez.

-- 
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