WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th December, 2020) The United States will continue to implement its sanctions policy toward Venezuela, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Cuba and Venezuela Carrie Filipetti said on Monday.
"I do think that having a strong combination of carrots and sticks, you know, leverage that we can potentially deploy in negotiation is critically important and this is why we are going to continue with our sanctions policies," Filipetti said during a virtual event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Filipetti pointed out that the US sanctions policy against Venezuela is one of the few issues that has gained bipartisan support in the United States.
"US sanctions have really helped combat the flows of income from petroleum, from the oil industry in general, and so they turned toward gold, and they turned toward other avenues and so it's critical that we not only cut those off but we also hold those countries responsible who are buying Venezuelan gold, who are involved in those practices," she said.
Filipetti emphasized that the existing policy will continue but will also consider different venues such as holding officials accountable.
"I really do think that the international system has somewhat failed us in this case because we have these wonderful bodies that are there in order to ensure that something like what's going on in Venezuela doesn't happen anywhere and so that hasn't been successful in ensuring accountability over the last few years," Filipetti said.
