Venezuela has withdrawn its invitation to observers from the European Union for the July presidential elections, National Electoral Council President Elvis Amoroso said Tuesday.

“They do not welcome people to come to this country (…) as long as they maintain sanctions,” Amoroso said, reading a statement broadcast on state television.

President Nicolas Maduro of the ruling Socialist Party is running for a third term.

Maduro, 61, reached an agreement with the opposition last year to hold elections, prompting the United States to temporarily ease oil sanctions on Venezuela in October.

Washington then reimposed sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry in April, saying the government had not done enough to make the electoral process fair.

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Earlier this month, the Europeans said they were temporarily lifting personal sanctions against Amoroso, who rejected the measure, saying measures against all officials and the country should be lifted.

Shortly after, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez approved in the ruling party-dominated parliament a request for the CNE to withdraw the EU’s invitation to observe the elections.