US sanctions 16 Maduro associates for obstructing Venezuela election process News
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US sanctions 16 Maduro associates for obstructing Venezuela election process

The US Treasury announced Thursday that its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as sanctioned 16 individuals affiliated with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro under terms of Executive Order (EO) 13692, for allegedly obstructing an inclusive presidential election process and violating the human rights of Venezuelans.

According to the Treasury, the 16 sanctioned individuals include leaders of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) and National Electoral Council (CNE) who allegedly obstructed a transparent election process. Intelligence and military officials appointed by Maduro were also sanctioned for allegedly overseeing repression during the post-electoral protests. All property and interests of sanctioned individuals that are possessed, controlled or located in the US are blocked as a result of the sanctions.

Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo stated that the Treasury targeted key figures involved in Maduro’s election victory claims. Adeyemo said the Biden-Harris administration will support the democratic aspirations of Venezuelans and hold Maduro and his allies accountable.

In addition, the US State Department announced on the same day that it is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Maduro associates under Presidential Proclamation 9931 for undermining Venezuela’s electoral process. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US “will continue to promote accountability for those undermining democracy in Venezuela.”

Previously, on August 26, the head of the CNE in Venezuela, Juan Carlos Delpino, revealed a series of irregularities during the July presidential elections , questioning the electoral process and the integrity of the announced results. He said, “Everything that happened before, during and after the presidential election, points to the seriousness of the lack of transparency and veracity of the announced results.”

Delpino’s statement came one month after the controversial July 28 elections, in which Maduro was declared the winner. Opposition candidate Edmundo González and his supporters contested the results and questioned the elections’ integrity. This resulted in nationwide protests from the supporters of Maduro and González. The EU expressed concerns over Venezuela’s electoral process and several European countries called on the CNE to publish voting records.

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