Al Jazeera: U.S. sanctions on Venezuela could exacerbate crisis, U.N. warns
“The United Nations human rights chief has warned the latest U.S. sanctions on Venezuela will significantly exacerbate the crisis for millions in terms of access to food and health, in a country already suffering from serious shortages of essential goods. ‘I am deeply worried about the potentially severe impact on the human rights of the people of Venezuela of the new set of unilateral sanctions imposed by the U.S. this week,’ Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on Thursday…” (8/8).

Washington Post: As Venezuela’s crisis deepens, the most vulnerable are joining the exodus
“…Six months after the Venezuelan opposition began its U.S.-backed effort to drive President Nicolás Maduro from office, conditions for the people have perhaps never been worse. They are struggling under ever-deepening shortages of medicine, food, gas, and water, and widespread power blackouts in a disintegrating socialist state plagued by one of the world’s highest homicide rates. Venezuelans expect the new round of sanctions President Trump announced this week to increase their suffering. … But long before the United States began imposing sanctions, hunger — and dwindling hope for change — spurred an outflow now stretching into its fourth year…” (Faiola/Krygier, 8/8).

Additional coverage of the U.S. sanctions is available from BBC News and The Guardian.