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The Cuban regime attacked the European Union this Tuesday following its decision to extend for one year the sanctions imposed on 69 officials and allies of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, a measure that will remain in effect until January 10, 2027.
The Cuban Chancellor Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla posted on the social media platform X a message where he described the extension of sanctions as "contrary to International Law and the Charter of the United Nations."
He also accused the Council of the EU of serving “the aggressive and neocolonialist interests of the United States.”
"We reject the extension of sanctions and unilateral coercive measures by the European Union against Venezuela, which are contrary to International Law and the UN Charter. These actions aim to increase pressure on the government of the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution and serve the aggressive and neocolonial interests of the United States," wrote Rodríguez.
The European Union Foreign Affairs Council, meeting in Brussels on December 15, agreed to maintain restrictions against figures of the chavista regime due to "actions that undermine democracy, the rule of law, and human rights in Venezuela."
The sanctions include the freezing of assets in European territory and the travel ban to member countries. Additionally, the arms embargo and the restriction on equipment used for internal repression remain in place.
The statement from the Council emphasizes that the measures aim to "support a negotiated and democratic solution to the Venezuelan crisis" and that their lifting will depend on "tangible progress in the area of human rights and the rule of law."
The support of Havana for the Maduro regime is not new. Both the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel and Rodríguez Parrilla have publicly expressed their backing for the Chavista leader, even in the face of the total oil blockade imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
In previous statements, Díaz-Canel expressed: "Our strong rejection of the U.S. government's naval blockade against Venezuela. We firmly support President Nicolás Maduro, the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution, and its Popular-Military Union."
The Cuban regime, reliant on Venezuelan oil to maintain its crisis-stricken energy system, has repeatedly denounced U.S. and European sanctions as "illegal coercive measures," although international organizations and democratic governments view them as a necessary response to the human rights violations committed by chavismo.
The European Union has maintained sanctions since 2017 against Venezuelan officials involved in repression, corruption, and electoral fraud.
Its duration coincides with a period of high tension between Caracas and Washington, following the United States' intensified pressure to force Maduro out of power.
Meanwhile, Cuba continues to be one of the main political and strategic allies of chavismo, benefiting from subsidized oil supplies despite the economic deterioration in both countries.
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