WASHINGTON: Oppo leader Belarus Sviatrana Tsikhanouskaya said on Tuesday that he asked US officials to impose sanctions on the potash sectors, oil, wood and steel, when he visited Washington looking for a stronger action against the government of President Alexander Lukashenko.
These steps will surpass existing sanctions in Lukashenko political allies and government agencies and “will be a real hit to him, to make him change his behavior and release political prisoners,” Tsikhanouskaya told reporters.
He said he delivered a list of companies, among those of Belaruscali Potash Manufacturers owned by the State-owned State, at a meeting on Monday with State Department officials including the Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
On Tuesday during a webinar sponsored by the Atlantic Board Think Tank, Tsikhanouskaya requested a much more difficult action by world democracy against Lukashenko, who had maintained a strict grip on Belarus since 1994 and took action against a peaceful street protest that began a debatable presidential election.
Last August.
“I think it’s a high time for democratic countries to unite and show their teeth,” said Tsikhanouskaya, who will also visit the White House and Capitol Hill.
Tsikhanouskaya, 38, is a candidate in the election instead of her husband Sergei Tsikhanouskiy, a video blogger that has been imprisoned since May 2020 at a cost like violating public order, which he refused.
Tsikhanouskaya escaped to Lithuania neighbors after Lukashenko’s hard action.
Lukashenko’s opponent said the election was cheated so he could maintain strength.
He denied the accusation.
Meanwhile, the government has resisted thousands of people amid allegations of torture, and closed independent media and rights groups.
Tsikhanouskaya called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop supporting Lukashenko.
“Russian and Belarus relations are very close so the next step is the loss of independence,” he told reporters.
“We understand that Lukashenko must pay the support of Kremlin.”