G77 and China Condemn U.S. Sanctions on Venezuela, Say They Must Be Repealed

The G77 group, an international forum of developing countries, and China have expressed their firm rejection of unilateral sanctions imposed by the U.S. against Venezuela and asked for them to be rolled back, said Bolivian President Evo Morales.

Speaking in Cochabamba on Monday, Morales said that G77 and China’s position was expressed in a resolution approved by the bloc in the United Nations that same day.

The U.S. recently passed a law to freeze assets of, and deny visas to, Venezuelan officials accused of violating human rights in their country.

“The Group of 77 plus China reiterates the urgent need to repeal the legislative measure taken against Venezuela which undermines the Charter of the United Nations and international law, especially the principles of non-intervention in internal affairs and equal rights and self-determination of peoples,” said the text read by Morales.

Morales also expressed the bloc’s solidarity and support to the Venezuelan government in the face of what it considers to be “violations of international law that in no way contributes to the spirit of political and economic dialogue between the two countries.”

The group also urged the international community to adopt urgent and effective measures to eliminate the use of coercive unilateral economic measures against developing countries, Morales concluded.

The G77, made up of developing and emerging countries, in addition to China, was founded in 1964 and currently includes 133 nations of Latin America, Africa and South Asia.