The United States has imposed sanctions on 21 senior Venezuelan security and cabinet officials Wednesday for leading a crackdown on the opposition after President Nicolas Maduro’s contested July reelection.
“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,” Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury Bradley Smith said in a statement, according to news agency AFP.
“(This) is not merely about holding Nicolas Maduro accountable,” an administration official told reporters.
They further said: “Officials who are acting unlawfully to uphold his regime based on repressive tactics will also find themselves in the cross hairs of these sanctions.”
The United States had expressed “serious concerns” over the accuracy of the Venezuelan election results that declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner of a third term.
“We have serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people,” Blinken had said during a visit to Japan.
“It’s critical that every vote be counted fairly and transparently, that election officials immediately share information with the opposition and independent observers without delay, and that the electoral authorities publish the detailed tabulation of votes,” Blinken had said.
The controversy surrounding the election results added to the political and economic crisis in Venezuela, where Maduro’s leadership has been heavily criticized both domestically and internationally.
As Maduro claimed victory, the opposition and many international observers called for a thorough review of the electoral process to ensure the true will of the Venezuelan people is respected.
