The European Union (EU) announced on Monday a six-month extension of its sanctions against Venezuela, which responded by calling the decision “illegal”, reports AFP.

The EU statement said that “it has decided, as an exception, to extend the restrictive measures for only six months instead of one year, until May 14, 2024.”

According to a press release from the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, Venezuela called the decision “impudent and illegal” and said it “prevents (the EU) from participating in Venezuelan political processes.”

Caracas believes that the renewal of sanctions “once again demonstrates the continuity of its policy of interference in the internal affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, applying humiliating, harmful and unjust measures,” the statement said.

In 2017, the EU imposed sanctions on Venezuela to protest the “deterioration of democracy, the rule of law and human rights,” including an arms embargo and law enforcement equipment, as well as a visa ban on 54 citizens and a freeze on their assets held in Europe.

In October, the government and the opposition signed an agreement that provides for the presence of international observers at the presidential elections in 2024. This agreement forced the United States to relax sanctions, especially oil sanctions, for 6 months.

In its press release, the European Union stated that this agreement “is a positive and necessary step in the continuation of the dialogue (…) on the restoration of democracy.”

The decision to extend the sanctions for six months instead of one year was made “in this context and as part of the annual review” of the restrictive measures, the text also says (Agerpres).