EU adds 11 Venezuelans to sanctions list

The EU today added a further 11 Venezuelan officials to a list of persons subject to restrictive measures including a travel ban and asset freeze.

A total of 36 Venezuelans now face EU sanctions, first imposed in November 2017 for violations of human rights and restriction of fundamental freedoms.

The new list includes Luis Parra Rivero, "illegitimately" elected president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, according to the EU. Parra was named president of the assembly in January in a election that Western governments did not recognize as legitimate. They continue to recognize the assembly presidency of opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Other officials targeted by the EU today include vice presidents of the National Constituent Assembly and prosecutors, among others.

Previous EU sanctions in June 2018 targeted Tareck El Aissami, now Venezuelan oil minister.

The EU said its sanctions are flexible, reversible and not designed to harm the Venezuelan population.

The EU sanctions remain limited to individual Venezuelan officials, in contrast to US financial and oil sanctions on top of an extensive targeted list.

By Dafydd ab Iago