Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, assured on Monday that Venezuelans who had left their country would be warmly received under a new amnesty law enacted following the US-backed removal of Nicolas Maduro. Addressing the nation on TV, Rodriguez stated, “The doors of Venezuela, along with the arms of its people, are open to those wishing to return as part of the reconciliation process.”
The political and economic turmoil in Venezuela has forced around seven million citizens to flee their homeland, with many opposition leaders living in exile. In a related development, Switzerland disclosed to AFP on Monday that over $880 million worth of Venezuelan assets have been frozen for the first time.
Effective January 5, a regulation was enacted to freeze the assets of the ex-president Maduro, his family members, and government officials. According to the Swiss foreign ministry, financial intermediaries have reported freezing a total of 687 million Swiss francs in connection with the regulation, without specifying the breakdown of assets by owner. The ministry clarified that the asset freeze was a precautionary step aimed at preventing capital flight and facilitating legal cooperation between Switzerland and Venezuela.
Notably, the regulation does not extend to any current members of the Venezuelan government, as per the Swiss foreign ministry’s statement.
