WASHINGTON— Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today released the following statement on today’s announcement of United States sanctions against Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A.:

“Ambassador Bolton notified me earlier today of the new sanctions on PDVSA, and I have requested a full briefing from the Trump Administration both on the potential impact of these sanctions and broader U.S. policy towards Venezuela. The international community must continue to increase pressure on Nicolas Maduro, who has undermined democracy and violated the human rights of Venezuelans for far too long. At the same time, I urge the Administration to approach this situation with great care to avoid any collateral impact on the people of Venezuela who are already suffering from the harmful policies created by Maduro, Chavez and their cronies.

“I look forward to receiving more information from the Administration on these new sanctions, and I will continue to advocate for a United States policy that supports the Venezuelan people.”