Venezuela Rebukes EU Sanctions Extension Move as "Illegal"
The Foreign Ministry condemned the measures as "illegitimate, illegal, and contrary to international law," attributing the Brussels decision to an "erratic foreign policy."
"The leaders of that bloc have unfortunately chosen to accelerate their own political decline by insisting on a line of sterile hostility against Venezuela," the government of President Nicolas Maduro said in the statement.
Caracas' response followed a gathering of EU foreign ministers in Brussels Monday, where officials approved prolonging sanctions against Venezuela for an additional year.
The restrictions target 69 individuals within Maduro's inner circle, maintaining their placement on the bloc's blacklist through January 10, 2027. Brussels defended the extension "in view of the persistent actions that undermine democracy and the rule of law, as well as the ongoing human rights violations and repression of civil society and the democratic opposition."
The sanctions framework, initially implemented in November 2017, encompasses a travel prohibition barring designated individuals—including senior officials such as Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez—from entering EU territory.
Additional provisions include asset seizures and account freezes maintained in Europe, a ban preventing sanctioned parties from obtaining funds or economic resources originating from EU territory, and an arms embargo on equipment potentially utilized for "internal repression."
The bloc reinforced its stance that sanctions removal hinges on concrete improvements in human rights and rule of law conditions within Venezuela.
"The EU has not taken any measures that could harm the Venezuelan people or the economy. The responsibility for ending the crisis in Venezuela lies with its authorities," the EU foreign ministers said, stressing the need for the country to take significant steps towards genuine dialogue and a democratic transition.
The EU's decision to intensify pressure coincides with recent military mobilization by the US in the Caribbean region and the recent awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
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