US "Deeply Concerned" About Blocking Of Venezuela Opposition Candidates

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has told reporters that the United States is, "deeply concerned," about decisions taken by the Venezuelan National Electoral Council to prevent opposition parties from registering candidates for the upcoming presidential election.

• Miller: "We're gonna continue to make clear to [Venezuelan President Nicholas] Maduro and his representatives that they need to ensure international observer access, they need to end the jailing and harassment of civil society members, and they need to allow a free and fair election."
• Miller warns: "As we have made clear, actions that run counter to the spirit and letter of the Barbados Agree will have consequences... We've spoken to the fact that there is a general license [referring to sanctions relief on the Venezuelan oil sector] that expires next month. I'm not going to make any determinations from here about what decision we will take then but we have been very clear with Maduro and his representatives about what we expect them to take and what the consequences would be if they don't."
• Miller declines to elaborate on what decision the Biden administration will take on the oil license, but notes that the US already allowed a similar general license providing sanctions relief to the gold sector to lapse without renewal.