The US blocked an effort by Venezuela to request a review of US sanctions at the World Trade Organization on Friday. Venezuela hoped to challenge crippling economic sanctions that froze the country out of the world financial system on the grounds that they breached global trading rules.
The move demonstrates that President Biden is pursuing the same hardline policies towards Venezuela as the Trump administration. US Trade Representative spokesman Adam Hodge said the request was “illegitimate” since it was made by the Maduro government, which Washington does not recognize.
In January 2019, the Trump administration recognized opposition figure Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela. After a failed coup attempt and a sanctions campaign that amounts to an economic embargo, the US achieved nothing. The only thing the failed regime-change effort has done is caused ordinary Venezuelans to suffer.
“The United States will reject any effort by Maduro to misuse the WTO to attack US sanctions aimed at restoring human rights and democracy to Venezuela,” Hoge said in a statement. Another US official told Reuters that if the US allowed Venezuela to exercise rights at the WTO, it would “be tantamount to recognizing the Maduro regime itself.”
Last month, a White House official said the Biden administration is in “no rush” to lift sanctions on Venezuela. The US still recognizes Guaido despite his increasing irrelevancy.
Lovely. What do the rest of the WTO say? Afraid of the rule of law Yanks? Another bit of typical rancid hypocrisy to go with their opposition to the ICC investigating Israeli war crimes.
The UN Security Council recognizes Maduro as President of Venezuela.
Bragging about causing starvation in Venezuela is what the Americans see as fighting for the rights of Venezuelans.
Understand the complexity. Venezuela’s main hurdle is Europe. Europe & the Greens want & have changed their laws for cleaner Liquified Natural gas. Does Venezuela have it: undeveloped with Russia getting the contract, so too slow. China will take heavy oil in trade despite United States restrictions but Mainly in debt payments because Venezuela squandered Chinese assistance . India will half-the-time take the Venezuelan oil depending on who it can get more advantage out of : the U.S. administration or a more profitable Venezuelan deal.