Venezuela: UN Leader Michelle Bachelet to Meet With Maduro

U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet announced Friday she will visit Venezuela from June 19-21 and hold separate talks with both President Nicolas Maduro and the United States-backed, self-declared interim president, Juan Guaido.

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Her visit, at the invitation of the Maduro administration, comes ahead of the U.N. Human Rights Council opening a three-week session starting June 24. Venezuela has suffered loss of life, food shortages and reduction in oil production due to the economic coup being carried out against the South American country by the U.S. administration and its allies, such as Colombia and Brazil.

Since 2017, the Trump administration has imposed 150 sanctions on individuals and entities in Venezuela via executive orders and by invoking the so-called Kingpin Act. Trump and his cabinet have openly expressed they are taking these actions to oust the democratically elected Maduro.

Bachelet has also warned about the dangerous consequences of the U.S. sanctions. 

"Bachelet will engage with victims of human rights violations and abuses and with their relatives. She will also interact with civil society representatives, members of the business community and trade unions, religious leaders and academics," her office's statement said.