EU imposes sanctions on Venezuelan and North Korean officials

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he EU has imposed travel bans and asset freezes on top Venezuelan government officials and North Korean diplomats accused of breaking sanctions across Africa and Asia.

The measures on Venezuela are the first by the EU against individuals involved in that country’s political crisis, while the scope of the North Korea targets is a sign of growing western efforts to cut off funds to Kim Jong Un’s regime.

Foreign ministers from the 28-member EU signed off the sanctions at a meeting in Brussels on Monday in the union’s latest efforts to impose itself as a force in international crises.

The European states have listed seven Venezuelan officials they accuse of human rights violations and “non-respect of democratic principles or the rule of law”. President Nicolás Maduro’s government has cracked down on opponents, with human rights groups claiming that security forces have asphyxiated, electrocuted and sexually abused prisoners. Last month Mr Maduro suggested banning the main opposition parties from this year’s presidential election.

The EU’s targets include Néstor Luis Reverol Torres, interior minister, Gustavo Enrique González López, head of the national intelligence service, and Antonio José Benavides Torres, former head of the national guard. Also on the list are legal and electoral officials accused of facilitating policies that undermined democracy and the rule of law.

The measures come after the EU imposed an arms embargo on Venezuela in November, as well as a ban on the sale of equipment for internal repression.

The European states have also added 17 people to an expanding North Korea sanctions list that now runs to 68 individuals and entities, in addition to 133 listed by the UN.

The union said it was imposing the measures to press North Korea because of its “continued and accelerated development of nuclear and ballistic programmes” in “flagrant disregard” of UN Security Council resolutions.

The officials targeted include Chol Yun, third secretary at the North Korean embassy in China, as well as Pyongyang diplomats in Bangladesh, Angola, South Africa and Egypt.

Mr Chol was allegedly involved in the sale of Lithium-6, a nuclear-related material prohibited by the UN, while Son Young-Nam, who is based at the North Korean embassy in Bangladesh, is accused of involvement in the smuggling of gold and other banned items. Another diplomat is accused of activities relating to the sale of North Korean coal in Malaysia.

In Africa, several individuals are accused of assisting evasion of sanctions by trying to sell arms and related material to Eritrea.

Choe Kwang Su, third secretary to the North Korean embassy in South Africa, is accused of signing a contract to supply arms and arms-related material to a company controlled by the Mozambican government. Pyongyang’s envoy in Angola is accused of negotiating contracts for a UN-sanctioned company to refurbish Angolan naval vessels.