Imposing sanctions on Venezuela is not the answer to resolving the growing crisis in the country, Idriss Jazairy, U.N. Special Rapporteur said in Geneva on Friday.
Venezuela is reeling in shortage of food and medicines in its crisis.
“Sanctions will worsen the situation of the people of Venezuela, who are already suffering from crippling inflation and a lack of access to adequate food and medicine.
“I urge all countries to avoid applying sanctions unless approved by the UN Security Council, as required by the UN Charter,” Jazairy further urged.
He also called for dialogue between states to find solutions ‘’to the very real challenges’’ facing the country.
Washington had imposed sanctions on eight Venezuelan officials on Wednesday for their role in creating an all-powerful legislative body loyal to President Nicolas Maduro.
It, however, stopped short of action against the OPEC nation’s vital oil industry.
More than 125 people have died in violence since the opposition began a sustained wave of protests in April.
A week ago, Venezuela inaugurated a new legislative superbody that is expected to rewrite the constitution and give vast powers to Maduro’s ruling Socialist Party.
The country defied protests and worldwide condemnation that it undermined democratic freedom.
The U.N. human rights office had said that the Venezuelan security forces had systematically wielded excessive force to suppress protests, killing dozens, and arbitrarily detained 5,000 people since April. (Reuters/NAN)