Brian A. Nichols: “The Merida Initiative is a long-term endeavor that reaffirms our commitment to improving the security and safety of…”

Our priority in Cuba, as the rest of the hemisphere, needs to be democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

In addition, accountability for human rights abuses remains one of the main objectives of U.S. foreign policy in Venezuela, and we take every opportunity to highlight the abuses of the Maduro regime.

We are willing to modify our sanctions policy in response to progress toward negotiations and concrete steps by the Maduro regime in negotiations.

In doing so, I will be following a well-documented and core U.S. strategy that seeks to place human rights at the center of our bilateral relationships.