Among the 16 Venezuelan officials recently sanctioned by the U.S. are some accused of extorting money from political detainees. One of them is Miguel Antonio Muñoz Palacios, director of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN) since 2021.
Muñoz is alleged to be part of the "Pitbull Group," a faction within SEBIN and the Military Counterintelligence Directorate (DGCIM) that U.S. authorities claim has engaged in kidnappings and murders for financial gain. OFAC described the group as responsible for performing illicit operations outside the law.
