US reimposes sanctions as Caracas upholds opposition disqualification
4 Min Read
Venezuela has deemed an opposition leader and her replacement disqualified.
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Maria Corina Machado gives a press conference after a ceremony with the Opposition Primary Commission to recognize her electoral win in the opposition-organized primary election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (AP)
The United States began reinstating sanctions on Venezuela and its mining sector after the country's Supreme Court maintained the disqualification of an opposition leader in the Venezuelan elections.
The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control released a statement on Monday detailing the decision, saying all US-based companies cooperating with state-owned Venezuelan mining firm Minerven should draw their partnerships to a close by February 13.
The US had warned Caracas last week that some sanction relief that was granted in the elections deal between both countries would be stopped if a "violation" was made.
This deal involved providing relief from energy sanctions on the Venezuelan government in exchange for implementing measures to open up the electoral process, including permitting European Union observers and establishing a procedure to lift bans on top opponents, allowing for a more equitable political environment.
However, on Friday, the Venezuelan Supreme Court sustained a 15-year-old ban on Maria Corina Machado, the opposition leader who had won an opposition primary in October, and invalidated her replacement's candidacy, Henrique Capriles, who ran twice for presidency before.
The move prompted the US to reinstate some sanctions amid deprecation with Venezuela's decision to sideline Machado.
Read more: US eases sanctions on Venezuela's energy as oil prices stuck high
The US interferes... again
On Monday, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Maduro's government "had not taken actions" that uphold the terms of the Barbados opposition US-brokered agreement.
"The Maduro regime... made some commitments about opposition political parties, about free and fair elections and they haven't taken those actions," Kirby said during a press briefing. "They got until April to do so."
Kirby pointed out that the Biden administration has various options at its disposal, including the potential imposition of sanctions. However, he refrained from providing a preview of any specific measures at this time.
Kirby emphasized that Venezuela must permit opposition members to participate in elections and release individuals deemed as "political prisoners."
Read more: Freed Venezuelan Alex Saab says was tortured by US
This comes six days after Venezuelan Prosecutor General Tarek William Saab announced that the country's security forces successfully foiled preparations for five terrorist attacks and conspiracies, resulting in the detention of 27 individuals. The United States contends that the detained individuals include political figures.
One of the terrorist operations involved assassinating Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro himself. Maduro accused both the CIA and the Colombian army of being involved in the plot and said that agreements with the opposition over the country's 2024 presidential election were "mortally wounded" as a result of the plots.
Electoral conspiracy at play
This comes against the backdrop of an electoral agreement that was brokered by the US on October 16, 2023, whereby the Venezuelan government and the opposition effectively reached an agreement on new electoral conditions, but later that month, the Venezuelan high court suspended the entire opposition primary election process, including its results.
Read more: US to review Venezuela sanctions relief over 'inadequate progress'
According to TeleSur, multiple irregularities were reported in these primaries, including voter uncertainty about polling locations and the presence of polling centers within private residences.
As a result, some candidates withdrew, and one of the vice presidents of the commission for the opposition primaries called for CNE's involvement in the process due to these issues.
"How can an election be competitive if two candidates have resigned, leaving only one with a chance?" the National Assembly president Jorge Rodriguez asked last Thursday, asserting that the primary elections held on October 22 cannot be deemed legitimate elections because of their deficiency in quality and verifiability.
Due to the prevalence of corruption among the opposition, the high court was compelled to annul the primaries.
Read more: US warns Venezuela: Stick to elections conditions or face consequences
