The UN’s human rights chief has criticised the latest US sanctions against Venezuela saying they would intensify the suffering of millions.
Michelle Bachelet, a former president of Chile, said the sanctions were “extremely broad” and would hit the most vulnerable sections of society.
The unilateral measures freeze all Venezuelan government assets in the US and ban commercial transactions.
They are aimed at piling pressure on President Nicolás Maduro to step down.
The US is one of more than 50 nations that do not recognise Mr Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president.
“I am deeply worried about the potentially severe impact on the human rights of the people of Venezuela of the new set of unilateral sanctions imposed by the US this week,” the UN human rights commissioner said in a statement.
“The sanctions are extremely broad and fail to contain sufficient measures to mitigate their impact on the most vulnerable sectors of the population.”
Despite some exceptions for sales linked to food, clothing and medicine, she said the measures were “still likely to significantly exacerbate the crisis for millions of ordinary Venezuelans”.
On Monday US President Donald Trump signed an executive order stating that “all property and interests in property of the government of Venezuela that are in the United States… are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in”.
The order also bars transactions with Venezuelan authorities whose assets are blocked, stating that “the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order”.
BBC
