Lukashenko (Washington Insider Magazine) -The U.S., U.K, European Union and Canada imposed a new set of sanctions on Belarus in an attempt to pressure Belarus President Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s despotic regime and taper his authoritarian grip on the country.
The restrictive measures come on the first anniversary of the fraudulent presidential election that kept the self-proclaimed Belarusian leader in power and sparked massive nationwide protests, followed by a brutal crackdown of the protestors and other dissidents.
The new sanctions target the nation’s potash, oil and tobacco exports, and the defense, transport, and construction industries. They also include several individual sanctions on key business leaders in the previously mentioned sectors, as well as the country’s Olympic Committee.
In a statement regarding the sanctions, U.S. President Joe Biden stated that “rather than respect the clear will of the Belarusian people, the Lukashenka regime perpetrated election fraud, followed by a brutal campaign of repression to stifle dissent.”
Lukashenka has also responded to the sanctions, accusing Britain of being “America’s lapdog” and that London should “choke on” the new measures.
A summer to remember
The measures also come on the coattails of a brutal summer for Lukashenka, in which activists have said that the regime has detained more than 35,000 dissidents. Belarusian pro-democracy opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has also fueled the flames of dissent in recent visits to Washington and London, where she has advocated for stricter sanctions against Lukashenka, and for him to restore democracy and end repression of his political opponents. Her London visit came as Belarusian Olympic athlete Krystina Tsimanouskaya sought refuge in Poland following her public criticism of her coaches in Tokyo and following the apparent suicide of Belarusian activist Vital Shyshou in Kyiv, Ukraine, where ran an exile assistance group for his fellow compatriots. Many critics pointed fingers at Lukashenka’s security apparatus as the main perpetrator.
Big picture
Previous sanctions have done very little to impact Lukashenka’s actions and since the election last year he has cozied to Russia on whom he relies for economic help.
Lukashenko himself has remained defiant, maintaining that “I am a completely sane person – you need to have the appropriate resources. I have never dictated anything to anyone – and I am not going to,” as cited by U.S. news agencies.
