The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, promulgated, on Friday (29), the controversial Organic Law Libertador Simón Bolívar against the Imperialist Blockade and in Defense of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The legislation establishes punishments for Venezuelans who support foreign sanctions against the Chavista government.
The signing occurred one day after the measure was approved by the National Assembly, where the majority of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) stated that the objective of the document is to protect the country’s sovereignty and combat “threats from people in complicity with governments foreigners”.
Maduro signed the law during a public event, after showing a letter from the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) which – he said – gives the green light for the regulation to be published.
“Signed, endorsed. Publish it and execute it from this moment onwards”, said the president, accompanied by the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, and Chancellor Yván Gil, among other people.
The legislation establishes a ban from public office for up to 60 years for Venezuelans who support sanctions from other countries and, in the opinion of authorities, side with foreign governments.
It also allows the Venezuelan government to confiscate these people’s assets and can result in up to 30 years in prison.
The law faces criticism from opponents who argue that the terms of the legislation are contrary to rights such as the right to association for political purposes.
On Thursday, during the discussion in the National Assembly, the inclusion of the possibility for the government to revoke the operating permission of social media companies that are considered agents against the country’s interests was also approved.
The law was approved after the United States House of Representatives approved the so-called “Bolívar Law”, which attempts to prohibit the American government from doing business with Venezuela and which is under analysis in the Senate.
This content was originally published in Maduro promulgates law that punishes those who support sanctions against Venezuela on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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