"Imperialist" EU follows US down Venezuela sanctions path

VENEZUELAN Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza condemned the EU's “shameful” sanctioning of seven top officials on Monday as proof of Brussels' “subordination” to Washington.

Mr Arreaza said Venezuela rejected the measures imposed “in an illegal and unilateral manner,” which “violate the fundamental precepts of the UN Charter and are intended to exercise a gross interference in the internal affairs of our country.”

He said the move indicated an “erratic and interventionist policy towards our country” which recalled the “colonialist manoeuvres of ancient empires, expelled from our America 200 years ago by the courage and freedom-loving will of our peoples.”

The foreign minister said the “obsessive conduct towards Venzuela” was turning the EU into “an instrument at the service of the imperialist intents of the US government.”

Earlier on Monday, unelected EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini's office announced the sanctions, claiming the seven were "involved in the non-respect of democratic principles or the rule of law as well as in the violation of human rights."

It claimed justification as “the political, social and economic situation in Venezuela continues to deteriorate."

The targeted individuals include Interior Minister Nestor Reverol, Attorney-General Tarek William Saab, Supreme Justice Tribunal chair Maikel Moreno and National Electoral Council (CNE) president Tibisay Lucena.

Also named were former Bolivarian National Guard commander Antonio Benavides, National Intelligence Service director Gustavo Gonzalez and ruling United Socialist Party chair and former parliamentary speaker Diosdado Cabello.

All will have alleged assets in the EU frozen and will be banned from travelling there.

Mr Cabello called on President Nicolas Maduro to retaliate immediately, especially toward the “most servile governments to imperialism, like the government of Spain.”

He said the sanctions aimed to “neutralise, isolate Venezuela,” recalling that EU nations “were the partners of the US in the invasion of Iraq. A million deaths!”

Leaders of the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) coalition lobbied the European parliament and German chancellor Angela Merkel last year following the failure of four months of regime-change riots that left 124 dead.

Since then the MUD has returned to internationally-mediated peace talks in the Dominican Republic ― although the latest round of negotiations broke down earlier this month over the opposition delegation's demand for the appointment of a new CNE of their choosing before this year's presidential election.

Mr Cabello called the sanctions “A shot straight ot the heart of dialogue.”

“The ineptitude of the leaders of the Venezuelan right is very clear, that they are incapable and have to go before the world to beg for help.”

In Britain, Venezuela Solidarity Campaign secretary Francisco Dominguez called the Brussels move “highly regrettable”.

He said the EU, “instead of positively encouraging the dialogue with Venezuela’s right wing opposition initiated by President Maduro,” had instead “decided to capitulate to Trump’s approach and impose sanctions against Venezuela, which it explicitly presents as political blackmail.”

“This is thoroughly unhelpful and can only complicate the thus far fruitful conversations being held in the Dominican Republic,” Mr Dominguez said, urging the EU “to adopt an independent stance and support without preconditions the dialogue between government and opposition.”

“‘Regime change’ has not worked and will not work, the Bolivarian Revolution is here to stay and the will of the Venezuelan people ought to be respected.”

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