US slaps sanctions on Venezuelan officials over post-election crackdown

by | Nov 27, 2024 | World

The US says its sanctions target 21 individuals involved in anti-democratic practices and the repression of protests.The United States has announced sanctions against 21 allies of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, citing alleged involvement in the suppression of protests following a contested July election.
Officials with the US Department of the Treasury said on Wednesday that the harsh crackdown, in which at least 25 protesters were killed, was an effort to stifle dissent. More than 2,400 protesters were arrested during the demonstrations.
“Maduro and his representatives’ repressive actions in the wake of the Venezuelan presidential election are a desperate attempt to silence the voices of its citizens,” Bradley Smith, the acting undersecretary of the Treasury Department, said in a statement.
The sanctions come months after a July 28 presidential election in which Maduro claimed victory, despite pre-election polling showing him losing by an insurmountable margin.
When the election results were announced without the usual breakdown of votes, the opposition denounced the tally as fraudulent. It published copies of ballot sheets online that it said proved opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won the race.
International observers also questioned the election results. “Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election did not meet international standards of electoral integrity and cannot be considered democratic,” The Carter Center, a US-based nonprofit, wrote in a news release afterwards.

Last week, the administration of US President Joe Biden recognised Gonzalez as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. It is unclear what effect that announcement, along with the new round of sanctions, will have on Venezuela.
A separate news release from the US Department of State said that the sanctions target “members of the security forces and cabinet-level officials” who “undermined a competitive an …

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