Text determines ineligibility for 60 years, confiscation of assets and imprisonment for up to 30 years; the standard is approved after US sanctions
The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro (United Socialist Party of Venezuela, left), enacted on Friday (Nov. 29, 2024) a law that punishes citizens who support international sanctions against the government. The law, by the National Assembly on Thursday (28.nov), establishes punishments such as political disqualification and confiscation of assets for citizens considered allies of foreign governments. The text determines imprisonment of 25 to 30 years and ineligibility for 60 years, that is, loss of political rights.
The rule was promulgated in a public act in which Maduro signed the law after presenting it as authorized by the TSJ (Supreme Court of Justice). The information is from .
“Signed, ratified. Publish and execute from now on”, said the Chavista leader, alongside the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, and Chancellor Yván Gil.
Called the “Organic Law Libertador Simón Bolívar against the Imperialist Blockade”, the norm, for the majority of representatives of the PSUV (United Socialist Party of Venezuela), allied with Maduro, seeks to protect the country’s sovereignty and combat “threats from people in cahoots with foreign governments”.
Tension with USA
The law was approved in the Venezuelan parliament one day after the United States Treasury Department already Wednesday (Nov 27) sanctions against 21 Maduro allies. The US government claims that the targets supported and executed the Chavista’s totalitarian orders. The list includes ministers from the Maduro government and Venezuelan military personnel.
Sanctioned people will have their direct or indirect assets on North American soil blocked by the government. Financial institutions or people who do business or provide services to targets of sanctions may also be sanctioned.
Another action by the North American government was the on November 18, in the Chamber of Representatives, of legislation that determines the prohibition of commercial agreements with people or companies that maintain active contracts with the government of Nicolás Maduro. The rule is being discussed in the Senate and, if approved, will go to President Joe Biden (Democrat) for sanction.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado to Representative Mike Waltz, future National Security Advisor to Donald Trump (Republican), for approving the text. She said it was important to hold the Maduro government accountable. The opposition and the US do not recognize Maduro’s re-election on July 28. They consider candidate Edmundo González Urrutia to be the elected president.
Corina Machado’s position in favor of sanctions against Venezuela places her as susceptible to the penalties provided for in the text approved by the Venezuelan National Assembly. She the Venezuelan government in a post on X (formerly Twitter). She declared that they can accuse her of treason, as she and her supporters will defend themselves “until the end”.
