October 23, 2019 | Written by - Carrie Bifulco '21
Venezuela is currently in the midst of a massive political crisis that has resulted in dire poverty, soaring inflation rates, and periodic blackouts. President Trump has grown frustrated because his efforts to overthrow the current socialist leader of Venezuela, Nicholas Maduro, have been unsuccessful thus far. In January, the Trump administration prohibited US companies from purchasing Venezuelan oil. Subsequently, in early August, in an attempt to increase pressure on Maduro, the Trump administration froze the assets of the Venezuelan government and warned that any company doing business with the country could be vulnerable to “secondary sanctions.” This action was seen by many as an indication of sanctions potentially being put on Rosneft, a Russian integrated energy company that specializes in the sale of petroleum. In recent months, the company has taken roughly half of Venezuela’s crude oil exports. However, the Trump administration is hesitant to interfere with a Russian company over its ties to Venezuela because the US and Russia already have a heavily strained relationship and currently endure disagreements over issues like Syria, Ukraine, and arms control. The Trump administration is now drafting new sanctions for Cuba that will be implemented because of the country’s alleged assistance to Maduro’s security forces in the form of training, arms, and intelligence. The sanctions will likely involve greater restrictions on American travel to Cuba, which will have a profound effect on the island’s tourism sector. There will also potentially be sanctions put on cut-rate Venezuelan oil that is delivered to Havana.
The UN Human Rights Council recently passed a resolution to carry out a mission to Venezuela in order to investigate alleged human rights violations. It is reported that there have been at least 6,000 killings resulting from security operations in Venezuela since 2018. In addition, at least 3.7 million Venezuelans are malnourished as a result of shortages in food, vaccines, and access to healthcare. Since January, electricity has been rationed to a maximum of twelve hours per day. Lines for gasoline are also incredibly long and waits can last up to two days. However, there has been a mild improvement in conditions in Venezuelan emergency rooms because last month, Maduro gave permission to the International Federation of the Red Cross and the United Nations to supply hospitals with various emergency supplies. Prior to this decision, the US supported opposition leader of Venezuela, Juan Guaido, and attempted to have US-backed aid infiltrate into the country through Columbia. However, this mission was violently halted at the border between Venezuela and Columbia by Maduro’s security forces.
Sources:
“Humanitarian Aid Reduces Shortages in Venezuela Emergency Rooms: NGO.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 11 Sept. 2019, www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-aid/humanitarian-aid-reduces-shortages-in-venezuela-emergency-rooms-ngo-idUSKCN1VW1K9.
Spetalnick, Matt. “Exclusive: As Trump Grows Frustrated on Venezuela, U.S. to 'Squeeze' Cuba, Scrutinize Russia.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 9 Oct. 2019, www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-venezuela-exclusive/exclusive-as-trump-grows-frustrated-on-venezuela-us-to-squeeze-cuba-scrutinize-russia-idUSKBN1WO2CL.
“Venezuela Crisis: UN to Investigate Alleged Human Rights Violations.” BBC News, BBC, 27 Sept. 2019, www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-49855018.
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