WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Thursday released the following statement:

“The purpose of sanctions is to change behavior and advance U.S. priorities, so I am glad to see the Biden administration’s effective use of tough diplomacy and limited sanctions relief to make progress in Venezuela. While President Trump’s Venezuela policy was an unmitigated disaster that delivered nothing and contributed to the country’s humanitarian nightmare, President Biden is getting results. Venezuela has committed to defining a specific timeline for a competitive election and has already begun releasing political prisoners. This is a limited six-month license for sanctions relief that will only continue if Venezuela makes good on those promises.”

In September, Murphy and a bipartisan group of his colleagues sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing concerns about ongoing efforts to undermine the pre-electoral and primary processes leading up to critical presidential elections scheduled in Venezuela in 2024.

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