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US bars some Venezuela officials from US travel

The US said the Venezuelan government had responded in many instances with arbitrary detentions and excessive use of force during months-long street protests.

Amid escalating tensions with socialist Venezuela, the US State Department on Wednesday announced new travel restrictions against Venezuelan officials believed to have committed human rights abuses during a spring crackdown on anti-government protests.

The move, the US’ strongest official action yet against the South American country, “underscores our commitment to holding accountable individuals who commit human rights abuses” deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement.

In announcing the visa restrictions, the department cited the months-long street protest movement that has left dozens of people dead. It said the Venezuelan government had responded in many instances with “arbitrary detentions and excessive use of force.”

The department declined to publicly identify officials who will be subject to the travel ban, citing confidentiality rules surrounding visa processing. Harf said the department is emphasising that the action taken Wednesday is “specific and targeted.”

The action, it said, is “directed at individuals responsible for human rights violations and not at the Venezuelan nation or its people.”

The move comes days after one of the most dramatic diplomatic dustups between the two countries in recent memory.

On Sunday, Venezuela secured the release of a powerful Venezuelan general who had been detained last week in Aruba at the request of US authorities. Hugo Carvajal, former head of military intelligence, is accused of using his high-level position to protect drug traffickers, and was expected to face extradition.

Instead, after initially arresting him, Aruba released Carvajal back to a hero’s welcome in Caracas. The State Department on Monday charged Venezuela with using threats against the Dutch Caribbean territory to circumvent international justice, a charge Venezuelan officials emphatically deny.

Congress has been debating two bills that would sanction Venezuelan officials charged with human rights abuses by banning visas and freezing their assets.

After months of slow progress, one of the two bills surmounted a significant hurdle this week when a Republican senator dropped his objection, citing outrage about the Carvajal case.