The beginning of the swearing in of the President of Venezuela and coinciding with the US$25 million reward for his arrest; New sanctions against 8 Venezuelan officials

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA): The US Department of the Treasury added on Friday local time: "Today, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Department of the Treasury has designated eight Venezuelan officials who lead key economic and security institutions and to Nicholas "Maduro is helping to suppress and subvert democracy, sanctions."

 

The U.S. Treasury Department added: "Sanctioned individuals include the president of Petroleos da Venezuela (PdVSA), Venezuela's state-owned oil company, and the Minister of Transportation and president of the Consortium of Venezuela, Industries and Air Services (CONVIASA), an airline, high-ranking Venezuelan officials It imposes sanctions on the army and police, who are involved in repression and human rights violations against democratic activists.

 

Alongside similar actions by US partners including Canada, the European Union and the UK, the Treasury Department's sanctions represent a message of solidarity with the Venezuelan people and further international efforts to keep pressure on Maduro and his proxies.

 

"Since last year's election, Maduro and his associates have continued their repressive actions in Venezuela," said Bradley T. Smith, Treasury's acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. The United States, along with its like-minded partners, stands in solidarity with the Venezuelan people's vote for new leadership and rejects Maduro's claims of victory."

 

The U.S. Treasury Department added, "In the months following Venezuela's July 28, 2024 presidential election, the U.S. and its allies in the region pressured Maduro to commit to a democratic transition." Instead, Maduro and his cronies have continued their violent repression in an attempt to maintain power, ignoring the Venezuelan people's calls for democratic accountability.

 

The U.S. Department of Treasury stated: "At the same time, the U.S. Department of State is increasing the reward to $25 million for information that leads to the arrest or conviction of Maduro and Diosdado Cabello, the Minister of Interior and Justice." »

 

The bounty also establishes a new bounty of up to $15 million for Maduro's defense minister, Vladimir Padrino, the Treasury Department said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also imposed new visa restrictions on Maduro-aligned officials who have undermined the electoral process in Venezuela and are responsible for repression, based on Presidential Proclamation 9931.

 

Venezuela's Election Commission announced last month that Nicolás Maduro won the country's presidential election with 51.95 percent of the vote. He was sworn in as the president for the third six-year term on Friday.