Reimpose Suspended Sanctions Against Venezuela, Republicans Tell Biden

Senate Republicans this week urged the Biden administration to reverse its decision to temporarily ease sanctions against Venezuela, saying the reprieve will “only further enable” the Nicolas Maduro-led regime’s crackdown on civil society and political opposition. “We implore you to reverse course and recommit to a strong campaign of diplomatic and economic pressure to hasten a transition to a democratic government in Venezuela,” the lawmakers, including Jim Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a letter to the White House.

The Biden administration suspended some sanctions on Venezuela's oil and gold sectors in October after the country's government and opposition formally agreed to work together on conditions for the next presidential election (see 2310180070). At least one other lawmaker has cautioned the U.S. about the move, saying Maduro’s decision to cancel the opposition party’s primary election results shows that he isn’t willing to hold free and fair elections, even with the promise of suspended sanctions (see 2311080030).

In their letter this week, the lawmakers said any “concessions under these conditions will fail to deliver a democratic transition, jeopardize American lives, and strengthen the hand of malign external actors and global terrorist networks.” The administration should “immediately deem the accord offered by Maduro as inadequate” and “fully enforce U.S. sanctions on the regime.”

A State Department spokesperson said the agency doesn’t comment on congressional letters but added that the “U.S. government will take action if Maduro and his representatives do not meet their commitments under the electoral roadmap.”