A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) noted that the United States sanctions on Venezuela contributed to worsening the deterioration of the South American country's economy and created obstacles for humanitarian workers, the government watchdog said on Monday. U.S.
The report noted that the Venezuelan economy has been contracting "steadily" for nearly a decade, but has declined "sharply" since the start of Washington's punitive measures in 2015, especially since 2019.
The GAO - an instance of the North American legislative branch that oversees the federal government - did not quantify the damage of the sanctions in the report, however it added other factors behind Venezuela's economic collapse and specified that the United States has emphasized that the sanctions do not restrict humanitarian aid.
The GAO assessment, requested by Democratic lawmakers, comes when President Joe Biden appears ready to adjust policy toward Venezuela, while largely preserving his predecessor Donald Trump's strategy, so far unsuccessful, to force a departure from the president. elected by Venezuelans, Nicolás Maduro.
Trump imposed a de facto embargo on oil from Venezuela, crucial for your economy, by sanctioning PDVSA in January 2019.
"Sanctions, particularly against the state-owned oil company in 2019, likely contributed to the steeper decline in the Venezuelan economy, primarily by limiting revenue from oil production," the report noted.
"They made the situation worse"
The GAO report noted that the United States has sought to "mitigate" the negative consequences of the sanctions, but noted that government agencies have reported "challenges" in delivering humanitarian aid, such as account closures or the rejection of financial transactions.
He therefore recommended that the Treasury do more to track complaints from humanitarian workers in order to address recurring problems.
Since 2015, the United States has sanctioned more than 150 people linked to the Maduro government, and has revoked the visas of hundreds of Venezuelans. In addition, it imposed punitive measures on the Central Bank of Venezuela and PDSVA, as well as foreign entities doing business with the government or the state oil company.
"East report "It makes clear that the sanctions imposed by the United States made the situation worse" in Venezuela, said Congressman Andy Levin, one of the lawmakers who requested the report from the GAO, urging a "more humane and effective" approach from the Biden administration.
The new chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Democrat Gregory Meeks, said that helping the Venezuelan people will be one of his top priorities. "It's time to move forward after four years of the Trump administration's failed policy toward Venezuela," he said in a statement.
However, the Biden administration last week ruled out contact with President Nicolás Maduro "in the short term."
Among the guiding principles of Washington's policy, State Department spokesman Ned Price mentioned the commitment to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Venezuelans who are in the United States due to the crisis in their country , which will allow them to reside and work legally.
