Venezuela Sanctions May Return as US Reviews Sanction Relief After Government Reaffirms Ban on Opposition Candidate Maria Corina Machado

Venezuela may have some of its sanctions reinstated as the US is now reviewing its partial lifting of sanctions for the country after Maria Corina Machado's ban on holding an elected was reaffirmed by the South American country's Supreme Court.

The reaffirmation of the ban on Machado was condemned by the US government, as well as almost 30 conservative world leaders on Saturday. This has now led the US to review its partial lifting of sanctions against the Maduro regime.

"The United States is currently reviewing our Venezuela sanctions policy, based on this development and the recent political targeting of democratic opposition candidates and civil society," said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller in a statement to the Associated Press.

Last year, the US and Venezuelan governments agreed that in exchange for Venezuela holding "free and fair elections" this year, the United States government would lift some of its sanctions against the Maduro government. The deal also made Maduro promise that he would lift the ban on opposition members who were barred from holding public office, including Machado.

The reaffirmation of the ban came months after Maria Corina Machado won the united opposition's primary election last October, where she won via a landslide, garnering over 90% of the vote. She won despite the Maduro government imposing a 15-year ban on her running for office.

She was reportedly banned from running for office because of alleged fraud and tax violations. Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro recently also accused her of being part of a "conspiracy" to overthrow him.

Venezuela Opposition Accuses Nicolas Maduro Regime of 'Repressive Escalation'

When it comes to current South American dictatorships, Nicolas Maduro is already up there with Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega. Experts say that his government's recent actions against the opposition are proving to be dictator-like as opposition members cry foul over the reaffirmation of Maria Corina Machado's ban.

Gerardo Blyde, the chief negotiator for Venezuela's opposition, blasted the Maduro regime and lamented that the elections Maduro promised may not be happening at all, saying, "It's not happening, and instead they're using the power of the state to begin a repressive escalation."

Blyde also denied Maduro's claim that there was a conspiracy to overthrow him, as Maduro and his allies call these conspiracies a "coup d'etat," Experts fear Maduro will use this as an excuse to cancel the election.

OAS Reacts To Venezuela Government Reaffirming Ban on Maria Corina Machado

The Organization of American States (OAS) also slammed the Venezuelan government over the ban against opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado. The organization stated that "the move eliminates any possibility of a free election this year."

It also slammed the regime over its "prosecution and political imprisonment of opponents," before accusing Maduro of having "no intention of allowing" a clean election.

"This dictatorial logic of political persecution and violation of the political rights of citizens - absolutely foreseeable and to be expected given the background of the regime - once again eliminates for Venezuela the possibility of free, fair and transparent elections," the OAS added in its statement, according to ABC News.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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