The United States is imposing sanctions on 21 senior Venezuelan officials for their role in suppressing protests following Venezuela’s controversial July presidential election, a senior U.S. official announced Wednesday.
Washington accuses President Nicolas Maduro of falsely claiming victory in the election, describing the outcome as a violation of democratic principles. The U.S. recognizes opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as the rightful winner and refers to him as the president-elect.
“This is not merely about holding Nicolas Maduro accountable,” the official stated. “Officials who are acting unlawfully to uphold his regime based on repressive tactics will also find themselves in the crosshairs of these sanctions.”
In September, Venezuela’s government dismissed a United Nations human rights report that criticized the repression of political opponents and children in the aftermath of the election. Caracas labeled the report as coercive interference.
Additionally, the U.S. plans to impose visa restrictions on several officials linked to Maduro’s government, the official said.
