The United States has announced new individual sanctions on more than 20 officials aligned with Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in an effort to pressure him to accept the results of the country's July presidential election. The sanctions, targeting military officials in various branches of the security apparatus, aim to encourage a democratic transition in Venezuela.
Among the officials sanctioned are Maduro’s chief of staff, Anibal Coronado, Communication Minister Freddy Ñañez, and the director of intelligence services Alexis Rodriguez. The US has also maintained widespread oil sanctions and granted certain companies, like Chevron, licenses to operate in Venezuela.
Last week, the US formally recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as the country’s president-elect following the disputed July election. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the importance of respecting the will of the Venezuelan people for democracy to prevail.
The US officials highlighted that these actions are part of the Biden administration’s efforts to advance democracy in Venezuela and hold the regime accountable for political repression and subverting the will of the people. They acknowledged the upcoming change in administration and expressed openness for the new administration to address the Venezuela issue.
Since the onset of the Venezuelan crisis in 2017, most cabinet members in Venezuela have been subject to US sanctions. President Maduro himself has been sanctioned since 2017 and was formally charged by the Department of Justice for crimes related to drug trafficking and terrorism. US prosecutors offer a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to Maduro's arrest or conviction.
