The United States has announced sanctions on 21 allies of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, accusing them of involvement in the repression following the disputed presidential election in July. The sanctioned individuals include high-ranking security and cabinet officials, such as the head of the nation's corrections agency, the director of an intelligence service, and the minister of Maduro’s Office of the President. These new sanctions add to the existing list of dozens of Venezuelans already sanctioned, including the head of the country’s high court, ministers, and prosecutors.
Last week, the Biden administration recognized Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González as the “president-elect” of Venezuela. In addition to the sanctions, the U.S. has imposed visa restrictions on more individuals accused of repressing Venezuelans post the July 28 election. Despite Maduro's claim of victory in the election, his government has not provided evidence to support this assertion.
González, who left Venezuela for exile in Spain in September after a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with an investigation into the publication of vote tallies, maintains that he won the presidential election by a significant margin. In September, the U.S. government imposed sanctions on 16 allies of Maduro, accusing them of obstructing the vote and committing human rights violations.
It remains uncertain what impact the latest individual sanctions and visa restrictions will have, as many previously sanctioned Maduro loyalists still hold influential positions in the Venezuelan government. Meanwhile, Venezuelan lawmakers are currently debating a bill that seeks to classify economic sanctions as a crime against humanity and enable the prosecution of individuals expressing support for such measures.
