US Announces New Measures Against Venezuelans, Businesses

 

The United States has announced new sanctions on three Venezuelans and 20 companies for connections to drug trafficking.

Vice¹ President Mike Pence announced the measures earlier this week. He spoke² during a visit to the headquarters of the Organization of American States, in Washington, D.C.

In his speech, the vice president condemned³ the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Pence warned that Venezuela’s next election would be a "fake election with a fake outcome." He called on Maduro to postpone⁴ the vote.

Pence said, "Hold real elections, give the people of Venezuela real choices, because the Venezuelan people deserve to live in democracy once again."

In January, the U.S. government announced steps against four current or former Venezuelan officials with links to corruption⁵ or repression⁶.

The crisis in Venezuela has led thousands of people to flee the country.

The International Organization for Migration⁷ says that between 2015 and 2017, the number of Venezuelan immigrants in Latin America increased from 89,000 to 900,000 people. That represents an increase of more than 900 percent.

Many people have left because of concerns about security, crime, shortages and inflation.

Vatican launches aid program

This week, the Vatican announced a plan to help those Venezuelans moving overseas. The Vatican’s Office to Promote Integral Human Development is working with Roman Catholic officials in eight countries on what is being called the “Bridges of Solidarity” project.

The eight countries are Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina.

Services offered through the project include building shelters and centers for the immigrants, as well as help in finding housing and jobs for them. Vatican officials say one goal is to assist the migrants with education and healthcare. Another is to provide support and legal assistance to them.

For the past several months, Pope Francis has expressed his growing concern for the Venezuelan people.

Earlier this year, the pope spoke about Venezuela to Catholics gathered in Saint Peter’s Square. He appealed for an end to violence in the country. He said, “I assure my prayers for this beloved nation, and express my closeness to the families that have lost their children in the riots.”

The Vatican’s office for migrants and refugees will be making available nearly $500,000 a year. The aid is to be spread among the eight nations involved in the project.

I'm Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

sanction – n. an action taken by one or more nations to make another nation follow a rule or law

fake – adj. not real or true

outcome – n. result; something that happens because of an activity

deserve – v. to have earned because of an action; to be worthy of

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

4 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

7 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。