EU set to hit top Venezuelan officials with sanctions -diplomats

Seven senior Venezuelan officials are likely to face European Union sanctions from next week, including the country’s powerful chief justice, diplomats said, as the EU seeks to pressure President Nicolas Maduro to resolve a political crisis. The travel bans and asset freezes, which EU ambassadors are set to approve on Thursday, will follow U.S. sanctions last year and mark a tougher stance from European capitals that had sought to coax a solution without resorting to punitive measures. “The (Venezuelan) government has crushed the opposition and is guilty of human rights abuses, so we believe it is time to send a strong message,” an EU diplomat involved in discussions said. More…