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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration will “adjust” its sanctions policy on Venezuela depending on how high-stakes elections in the OPEC nation go on Sunday, U.S. officials said, suggesting Washington could ease punitive measures if Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is awarded a fair outcome.
But the United States also warned Maduro that if he claimed victory without evidence it would “raise questions” about whether the international community should accept the result.
Maduro is seeking a third term as president of Venezuela, which is under heavy U.S. sanctions. His rival, opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, has garnered a surge in support.
The opposition and some independent observers have questioned whether the vote is fair, saying the election authorities’ decision and the arrest of some opposition campaign workers are aimed at creating obstacles.
Senior U.S. officials said today they were closely following final preparations for the elections. Washington had eased sanctions on Venezuela’s vital oil industry in recent months but has since reimposed them because it says Maduro’s government has failed to abide by an electoral agreement guaranteeing an inclusive democratic vote.
The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said they would not prejudge the outcome of the election but expressed concern about possible political repression. They also warned Venezuela’s military, a longtime backer of Maduro, not to “interfere” in the electoral process.
“The United States is prepared to adjust our sanctions policy based on potential events in Venezuela,” a U.S. official said. “Looking ahead to the post-election period, we will continue to evaluate and update our sanctions policy as needed, consistent with our foreign policy objectives.”
Officials declined to say what specific measures the United States would take but stressed that a U.S. response would likely become apparent in the second half of the year as Venezuela’s presidential inauguration is not until January.
Asked whether Washington would drop criminal charges against Maduro to help negotiate a post-election ouster, one official said the United States might “consider steps to facilitate a peaceful transition of power” if Maduro loses. The official declined to elaborate.
One official said it was “deeply concerning” that Maduro’s government was limiting the number of international observers.
The official specifically urged Venezuelan authorities to reconsider a decision to ban a plane carrying a region’s former president from flying from Panama to Caracas, saying their presence was to guarantee that the elections “will represent the will of the Venezuelan electorate.”
Venezuela’s transport ministry said its airspace was operating normally.
González is a veteran former diplomat who inherited the opposition mantle from Maria Corina Machado, who enjoyed huge popularity and won the opposition primary but was barred from holding public office.
Maduro, a socialist whose 2018 re-election is considered a sham by most Western governments, says Venezuela has the most transparent electoral system in the world.
During Maduro’s rule, Venezuela’s economy collapsed, about a third of the population left the country, diplomatic relations deteriorated sharply, and sanctions made the already troubled oil industry even worse.
Gonzalez, 74, is known for his calm demeanor and his commitment to change to bring many immigrants home.
Analysts believe Maduro’s reelection or post-election unrest could prompt more Venezuelans to leave the country and head for the U.S.-Mexico border.
With immigration becoming a hot-button issue in the U.S. presidential campaign, it could raise new questions for Vice President Kamala Harris, who is seen as the most likely candidate to become the Democratic nominee after President Joe Biden ends his reelection bid on Sunday.
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