Venezuelan Vice President Calls Out U.S. Blockade Impact
On August 8, 2025, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez met with Mame Mandiaye Niang, deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), to highlight the detrimental effects of the U.S. blockade on the Venezuelan population, reports 24brussels.
Rodriguez presented a study published in The Lancet, detailing the severe impact of unilateral sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its allies on public health and living conditions in Venezuela. “The research indicates that over 564,000 people die annually as a direct consequence of these sanctions, disproportionately affecting children under five and the elderly,” she stated.
She compared these figures to annual fatalities caused by armed conflict, emphasizing the urgency of the matter, which has seen slow progress since its referral to the ICC over five years ago.
The U.S., European Union, and their allies have enacted more than 1,000 sanctions against Venezuela, which, according to U.N. Special Rapporteur Alena Douhan, have severely impacted multiple sectors of the nation. Douhan has urged these countries to lift their sanctions.
As of July 2025, the Geopolitical Map of Sanctions indicates that 37,563 unilateral coercive measures target 30 countries, predominantly concentrated in nine nations, including Venezuela, Russia, and Iran. Douhan condemned these measures as unlawful and detrimental to human rights.
These sanctions, described by President Nicolás Maduro as “missiles of economic warfare,” have profoundly hindered access to essential healthcare services, food, and other basic rights. However, the Venezuelan economy has shown resilience, reporting 7.7% growth in the first half of 2025, marking 17 consecutive quarters of economic recovery.
