As many as 40,000 people may have died in Venezuela as a result of US sanctions that made it harder for ordinary citizens to access food, medicine and medical equipment, a new report has claimed.

The report, published by the Centre for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) a progressive, Washington DC-based think tank, says those deaths took place following the imposition of sanctions in the summer of 2017. It said the situation had probably worsened since the imposition earlier this year, of tougher sanctions targetting Venezuela’s vital oil industry, as part of the Trump administration’s effort to oust president Nicolas Maduro.

“The sanctions are depriving Venezuelans of lifesaving medicines, medical equipment, food, and other essential imports,” says the report, co-authored by Jeffrey Sachs, an award-winning economist based at Columbia University, and Mark Weisbrot. “This is illegal under US and international law, and treaties that the US has signed. Congress should move to stop it.”

The report’s authors based their claims on estimates of excess mortalities contained within Venezuela’s National Survey on Living Conditions, known as Encovi. The annual survey of living conditions is administered by three Venezuelan universities. It found there was a 31 per cent increase in general mortality from 2017 to 2018 – representing more than 40,000 deaths.

Mr Weisbrot, a cofounder of the CEPR, told The Independent the authors could not prove those excess deaths were the result of sanctions, but said the increase ran parallel to the imposition of the measures and an attendant fall in oil production, which has for decades been a mainstay of the Venezuelan economy.

Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Show all 24 1 /24 Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Children play while attending a birthday party celebration at Catia neighbourhood Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Anderson Rodriguez trains on a slackline at a National Circus of Venezuela venue in Caracas Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos A child climbs on a bike to see an amusement park with an illuminated ferris wheel in Caracas Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Andrew rides a small tricycle on the rooftop of his family house in Caracas's Catia neighbourhood Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos A child reacts next to members of a folk group dressed as devils while taking part in the celebration of Los Palmeros de Chacao, a Holy Week tradition, in Caracas Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Members of Family Rose softball team put their hands together before a match at Lecuna Avenue softball pitch in Caracas. "After the game we always had a few beers. But now they are too expensive," said Felix Babaza Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Oriana Contreras and her niece ride a roller coaster at Italo Americano amusement park in Caracas. Contreras said, "Sometimes, the quotidian things bore, more the situation which we are going through. We try to have fun with what we can." Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Members of a folk group take part in the celebration of Palmeros de Chacao Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos A bird is seen inside a cage in front of the beach at La Guaira near Caracas Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Leonel Martinez, who works as soldier, kisses his girlfriend as they spend a day at Coral beach in La Guaira. "It's a way to think about something besides what is happening in the country," said Martinez. "It's not something you can do every day, because of the situation in the country." Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos A young boy practices on a unicycle while hula hooping at the Teresa Carreno theatre area where friends meet to practice in Caracas Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Ana Gabriela Alzola and Deniali Vega pose for a photograph at a backdrop used by customers to take pictures inside a mall in Caracas Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Carmelo Gonzalez dances salsa at El Venezolano square where he meets a seniors club every Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon in Caracas. Gonzalez said, "I have fun and I work. The pension helps me a bit. You have to enjoy life, after you die there is nothing else." Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Children pose for a photograph on a disused tank displayed at Los Proceres boulevard in Caracas Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos A boy flies a homemade kite next to Gran Mision Vivienda housing project in Caracas. The children make their own kites using a plastic bag, sticks and a nylon line. "Most expensive is the nylon cone, which is 10 thousand Bolivar notes (approximately 3 US dollars)," said Luis Flores Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Arianny Itriago sits during her quinceanera (15th birthday celebration) at Catia neighbourhood. Arianny's father, Ronny, said, "It's a family tradition to celebrate a quinceanera. Now everything is hyper expensive in our country. Everything is handled based on the US dollar, our Bolivars do not have much weight due to inflation, we are practically dollarized... The music that we hired was 80 or 90 US dollars." Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Genesis Gonzalez arranges her mortarboard before posing for a photograph at Valle Arriba lookout point in Caracas. Genesis's father, Rafael, said, "My daughter is a Psychology Graduate of the Catholic University Andres Bello, despite the adversity, we must celebrate these things." Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos A man looks at pinatas at a birthday supplies shop in Caracas. The manager of the shop said, "People were coming after work or early on Saturdays to buy birthday supplies. Now few people come." Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Children walk along a breakwater at Coral beach in La Guaira near Caracas. "A person who has a minimum wage can't come [to the beach]. The anguish that has all Venezuelans is food. First the flour and the rice." said Carla Cordova Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Yeafersonth Manrique whose nickname is B-Boy Chispa practices break dancing at the Teresa Carreno theatre area where he meets friends to dance. "When we're out here dancing, we don't think about the state of the country," said Yeafersonth Manrique, a 24-year-old drenched in sweat after a long practice. "In this world there is no crisis." Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Neidi Luzardo and his relative enjoy a ride at the Italo Americano amusement park. "The most common fun for a Caraqueno is a beach day," said Luzardo Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Belinda, a former teacher, laughs after taking a photograph of graffiti which reads 'Normality is a privilege?' in Caracas. "We, the Venezuelan people, make a joke of everything," said Belinda Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos A woman holds a child as they get ready to hit a pinata at a birthday party celebration in Caracas Reuters Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos Victor floats in the sea as he spends a day at Coral beach Reuters

“You cannot prove a counter factual,” said Mr Weisbrot. “But [the excess deaths do] not have another obvious explanation.”

The August 2017 sanctions stopped the Venezuelan government from borrowing in US financial markets, and preventing it restructuring its foreign debt, the report says.

“Following the August 2017 executive order, oil production crashed, falling at more than three times the rate of the previous twenty months,” it adds. “This would be expected from the loss of credit and therefore the ability to cover maintenance and operations and carry out new investments necessary to maintain production levels. This acceleration in the rate of decline of oil production would imply a loss of $6bn in oil revenue over the ensuing year.”

The report claims that since the imposition of new sanctions on the oil industry, things have become more difficult for ordinary citizens.

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The US has for several decades had a tense relationship with Venezuela, despite it historically being a major supplier of crude oil. That relationship has become increasingly fraught since the election of Donald Trump.

Earlier this year, Mr Trump recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s president and supported him as he sought to establish a parallel government.

The US has admitted the sanctions are aimed at dislodging Mr Maduro, who was sworn in for a second term as president, following an election last year that was not recognised by many western nations, although said to fair by a number of independent observers.

Critics of the Venezuelan leader say he has overseen a collapse in the economy, and watched as more than three million people have fled to escape food shortages and chaos. His government has been accused of becoming increasingly autocratic, and insisting on political loyalty in exchange for subsidised food and other essentials.

Addressing a rally in Miami in February, Mr Trump urged senior members of the Venezuelan military to defect. “Maduro is not a Venezuelan patriot, he is a Cuban puppet,” he said.

This is not the first time that concerns have been raised about the humanitarian impact of US sanctions. In January, UN special rapporteur Idriss Jazairy said sanctions “which can lead to starvation and medical shortages are not the answer to the crisis in Venezuela”.

“Coercion, whether military or economic, must never be used to seek a change in government in a sovereign state,” he said. “The use of sanctions by outside powers to overthrow an elected government is in violation of all norms of international law.”

Meanwhile former special rapporteur Alfred de Zayas, who finished his term at the UN in March, accused the US of engaging in “economic warfare” against Venezuela which he said was hurting the economy and killing Venezuelans.

Asked to comment on the report’s claims that Washington’s sanctions had killed tens of thousands of people, the US state department said “as the writers themselves concede, the report is based on speculation and conjecture”.

“The economic situation in Venezuela has been deteriorating for decades, as Venezuelans themselves will confirm, thanks to Maduro’s ineptitude and economic mismanagement. Nicolas Maduro and his corrupt cronies are solely responsible for the suffering of the Venezuelan people and the flight of over 3 million Venezuelans into other countries and countless deaths,” a spokesperson added.

“Our sanctions were a response to their corruption, mismanagement, and abuse, and are assisting in choking the Maduro regime of the funds it uses to repress the people of Venezuela.”