EU arms embargo, sanctions against Venezuela dictatorship

[GatoGordo]

EU to impose arms embargo on Venezuela, lays basis for sanctions: diplomats
Robin Emmott

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is set to impose an arms embargo on Venezuela and will consider further sanctions in response to the political crisis in the South American country, two EU diplomats said.

The measures will bring the EU more into line with the United States, which imposed sanctions earlier this year, and they signal a change of tone in Brussels, which had previously resisted taking a tougher approach toward Caracas.

“The steps were approved today, paving the way for approval (by the bloc’s foreign ministers) next Monday,” an EU diplomat said, adding that the ministers’ backing was a formality.

Spain has long pushed for sanctions on those close to President Nicolas Maduro, whom Washington accuses of installing a dictatorship, but the EU has been divided over whom to target, while Britain is a significant arms supplier to Venezuela.

Diplomats said the turning point for EU governments was regional elections that appeared to favor Maduro’s ruling Socialists last month. Polls had suggested the opposition would easily win a majority but in the end it won only a handful of governorships, according to the pro-government electoral board.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-eu/eu-to-impose-arms-embargo-on-venezuela-lays-basis-for-sanctions-diplomats-idUSKBN1D82CD?il=0

[GatoGordo]

1. European Union to Announce Sanctions on Venezuelan Regime Next Week

The European Union has approved the implementation of sanctions against the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela, which will be formally announced on Monday, November 13, sources close to AFP said.

European ambassadors have decided to punish various members of the regime in a similar to what the United States and Canada did earlier this year, cutting off business and financial ties to either specific officials or the regime itself. The measures will reportedly be taken in a “gradual, flexible” but “irreversible” manner. The specifics of that strategy, including who exactly it will target, are yet to be made public.

The EU reportedly plans to embargo arms sales to the Venezuelan government, as well as materials used for electronic surveillance of political and social opposition movements, the sources said. The measure is intended to pressure the dictatorship, which continues to disregard the constitution and a nationwide humanitarian crisis.

“The political objective continues to be to take the government (of Nicolás Maduro) to the negotiating table with the opposition, and, therefore, contribute to getting them out of their current political crisis,” one of the sources said.

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https://panampost.com/sabrina-martin/2017/11/08/sanctions-on-venezuelan-regime/