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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Trump administration is considering imposing sanctions on the Cuban army and intelligence services that would help Venezuela's socialist government crack down on dissent, according to a source familiar with the debate.
PHOTO FILE: Riot police stand in front of a mural depicting the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during a protest against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in front of the building of the Ministry of Labor in Caracas (Venezuela) , October 5, 2018. REUTERS / Carlos Garcia Rawlins / Photo File
Such sanctions would be the first time that Washington would target a group of foreign officials allied to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela, a member of OPEC, is struggling with a prolonged recession, its economy being undermined by hyperinflation and food shortages.
The Republican administration of President Donald Trump has already imposed sanctions on dozens of Venezuelan officials and has sought to disrupt the country's growing exports of gold and access to external financing as part of a campaign. pressure against Maduro.
The potential human rights sanctions would target the Cuban authorities, possibly including generals, accused by Washington of advising the Venezuelan government on how to monitor opponents and suppress demonstrations, the source said.
The number and identities of potential targets were not clear. No final decision has yet been taken as to whether and when to impose the sanctions.
These measures would put an extra chill on US-Cuban relations, where Trump overturned some of the measures taken by former President Barack Obama in an attempt to tighten ties, and would also fuel Maduro's claim that Washington is trying to undermine his government for ideological reasons.
Cuba and Venezuela became close allies under the reign of the last presidents Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. Since a series of bilateral agreements concluded in 2000, the economy of the communist island is heavily dependent on Venezuelan crude oil, which Havana compensates by providing Venezuela with Cuban doctors and other services.
US and Venezuelan opposition politicians have long argued that Cuban military and intelligence officials advise Maduro's government and security forces on the crackdown.
Although Maduro often travels to Havana and the Cuban ambassador is a frequent guest at Government meetings in Caracas, the extent of Cuba's influence and support to the Venezuelan government and army is not publicly known.
Questions arise as to the effectiveness of measures targeting Cuban officials.
Human rights sanctions generally freeze assets, seize assets, prohibit travel to the United States and prohibit US commercial transactions with targets. However, given that Washington maintains a six-decade financial and trade embargo in Cuba, it is estimated that few, if any, Cuban officials have a significant financial presence in the United States.
The White House declined to comment in response to Reuters questions about any sanctions imposed on Cuba.
In the past, Maduro criticized sanctions as "imperialist" measures to complicate financial transactions, including food imports and bonding. He also mocked American sanctions against himself and other Venezuelan officials, saying they were ineffective and a sign of honor.
The Maduro government has been criticized by Washington, the European Union and Latin America's neighbors for overruling the opposition-led Congress in Venezuela, jailing its opponents, using excessive force against protesters and preventing entry of foreign humanitarian aid to alleviate the economic crisis.
«TROIKA OF TYRANNY»
The Trump administration has, in the past, launched the idea of sanctions that were ultimately not enforced, and Washington has stressed its willingness to minimize the damage done to the Venezuelan people.
Asked about possible sanctions against Cuban officials, a senior US government official told Reuters in early November: "We are looking at all the potential routes to deter those who actually help the Maduro regime stay afloat and give them the tools they need to crack down. "
Trump's national security advisor, John Bolton, said earlier this month that Washington would take a tougher line against Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, calling them a "troika of tyranny."
"The Cuban crackdown has, of course, allowed for the repression of the Venezuelan regime," Bolton said in a speech in Miami, home to a diaspora of Venezuelans and Cubans historically inspired by Republican support for Florida.
"The United States calls on all nations in the region to face this obvious truth and to let the Cuban regime know that it will be held responsible for the continuation of oppression in Venezuela," he said. Bolton.
Trump's chief adviser in Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Carone, is a Cuban-American who opposed Obama's historic opening in Cuba after a diplomatic break in 2014 between the two enemies of the Cold War.
Meanwhile, the United States is considering adding Venezuela to the list of states sponsoring terrorism, two people aware of the deliberations that took place earlier this week, although a US official said he could be difficult for the Trump government to provide concrete evidence.
Such designation could further limit US assistance to Venezuela and impose new restrictions on financial transactions.
Reportage of Alexandra Ulmer and Matt Spetalnick; Edited by Kieran Murray and Frances Kerry
