A Brief Discussion on the United States’ Sanctions Program and Venezuela

Extract

States interact with other states in a myriad of ways. One such way is by the issuance of economic sanctions intended to impact another state's policies or practices. Economic sanctions are an “old tool,” which historically have been grounded on the issuing state's own overarching goals and policies. However, economic sanctions are becoming more and more a means of exerting political influence over another state. One can question whether this is in fact “using an old tool in a new way.” I would suggest this practice, when implemented in particular ways, can complicate the “new economic world order” in such a way as to create perverse incentives within a state's own sanctions regime.