Spain suspends sale of riot gear to Venezuela in light of turmoil, officials say

[MADem]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/04/world/europe/spain-venezuela-riot-gear/

......Spain's inter-ministerial government commission routinely reviews sales of military weapons and other sensitive material like police riot-control equipment, and takes into consideration "the internal stability of the nation destined" to receive the equipment, said one of the government officials.
The other official said it's not the first time Spain has suspended the sale of riot control gear to Venezuela. It was also done when long-serving Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez -- Maduro's predecessor -- was in power.

Among those killed in the protests was a dual Spanish-Venezuelan citizen, Wilder Carballo Amayo, who died last February from a gunshot wound to the head, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.

Spain, like many other nations and international agencies, has urged the Venezuelan government and opposition forces to seek a solution through dialogue......Amnesty International's president in Spain, Esteban Beltran, told reporters this week, "In our opinion, if human rights are not placed at the top of the political agenda in Venezuela, then Venezuela risks entering a spiral of violence that would lead to even more human rights abuses and violations."