US sanctions against Venezuela ‘counterproductive': Santos

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Colombia Reports

US sanctions against Venezuela ‘counterproductive': Santos
Apr 9, 2015 posted by Alice Bradshaw-Smith

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Wednesday labeled recent US sanctions against Venezuela “counterproductive,” reinforcing an opinion that has previously been expressed by his administration.

Santos made the statement in a written interview given with newspaper Miami Herald on the eve of the 7th Summit of the Americas taking place in Panama.

“History has demonstrated that unilateral sanctions are counterproductive in the long run,” Santos wrote the Miami Herald, adding that “for this reason, on principle, we have rejected them.”

. . .

The Union of South American Nations, which speaks for the continent’s 12 independent countries, had already demanded the US drop the sanctions in a statement issued in March, calling them “a threat to sovereignty and the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states.”

Read more: http://colombiareports.co/us-sanctions-against-venezuela-counterproductive-santos/

[geek tragedy]

1. the sanctions are stupid posturing, which typifies the behavior on both sides nt

[hack89]

10. What harm do this particular sanctions do?

besides piss off the Maduro government?

[geek tragedy]

11. pissing off a lot of other governments in the area, who have not very fond memories

of the US bullying smaller nations.

Would be much smarter to undermine Maduro via relations with other states while ignoring his clown show.

[hack89]

12. They will come around when the cheap VZ oil dries up

the opportunity for closer economic ties with the U.S. will guide their actions.

[geek tragedy]

13. yes, but this doesn't help. it's driven by Congress who want to act like tough guys.

sanctioning some low-level thugs in maduro's government doesn't really advance our national interest

[hack89]

14. I don't think it hurts either. Pragmatism usually wins out

Obama's personal touch will sooth things over.

[quadrature]

2. the US's embargo of Toilet Paper should be lifted immediately ...nt

[MyNameGoesHere]

3. You could be the TP czar

[The Wizard]

4. The U.S. has been trying to damage

Venezuela since they nationalized their oil. This strategy to protect big oil profits has been in effect since 1953 when the U.S. overthrew Iran's duly elected government. We have been a rogue nation ever since. Follow the oil profits.

[Bacchus4.0]

5. The US is Venezuela's largest trading partner. Imports and exports nt

[hack89]

9. You realize there are no economic sanctions against VZ

just individual sanctions against a handful of government officials?

[Marksman_91]

15. You DO know that Venezuela nationalized their oil back in the 70s, right?

It did not happen under Chavez. And besides that, the US is still Venezuela's #1 client when it comes to oil exports. And Venezuela receives quite a lot of products imported from the US itself. If the chavistas were so serious about not wishing to deal with the "imperialist" US anymore, they'd stop selling them oil.

[Bradical79]

6. What sanctions do we have agains Venezuela?

I feel like I missed some news somewhere

[Snow Leopard]

7. and further to that

do we not have the right to not sell to people we don't want to?

[hack89]

8. We put sanctions on a handful of government officials

there are no economic sanctions against VZ.