WASHINGTON: The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned 21 security and cabinet-level officials associated with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. These officials were targeted for their roles in leading a crackdown on opposition forces following Venezuela’s disputed presidential election. The sanctions are part of Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, as amended, aimed at punishing current or former officials of the Venezuelan government.
According to Kuwait News Agency, these individuals supported and executed Maduro’s directives to suppress civil society and fraudulently declare himself the winner of the July 28 presidential election, despite a majority of Venezuelan voters electing Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as their next president. In the wake of the election, Venezuelan security forces have engaged in mass arrests of opposition supporters, violently suppressed protests, and denied citizens the right to peaceful assembly. These actions also included issuing an unwa
rranted arrest warrant against president-elect Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, forcing him to leave Venezuela.
Bradley T. Smith, Acting Under-Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated that Maduro and his representatives’ repressive measures are a desperate attempt to silence the populace. He emphasized that the United States would continue to expose those who use violence and intimidation to undermine democratic governance and stifle free speech.
In addition to the sanctions, the US Department of State is implementing new visa restrictions under Presidential Proclamation 9931. These restrictions target individuals aligned with Maduro who have undermined the electoral process or are responsible for acts of repression. To date, nearly 2,000 individuals have been identified as subject to these visa restrictions due to their involvement in undermining democracy, engaging in significant corruption, or violating the human rights of Venezuelans.