US imposes sanctions on 21 top Venezuelan officials over election crackdown

WASHINGTON — 

The United States imposed sanctions connected 21 elder Venezuelan officials for their relation successful suppressing protests aft a statesmanlike predetermination successful July, a elder medication authoritative said connected Wednesday.

Washington says President Nicolas Maduro falsely claimed triumph successful the ballot successful what U.S. officials person described arsenic a subversion of antiauthoritarian norms. The United States says absorption person Edmundo Gonzalez won and refers to him arsenic the president-elect.

"[This] is not simply astir holding Nicolas Maduro accountable," an medication authoritative told reporters. “Officials who are acting unlawfully to uphold his authorities based connected repressive tactics volition besides find themselves successful the transverse hairs of these sanctions."

In September, Venezuela's authorities rejected a United Nations quality rights study criticizing repression of governmental opponents and children successful the aftermath of the elections, saying it was a motion of coercion against the state.

The United States would besides beryllium imposing visa restrictions connected respective officials associated with Maduro, the medication authoritative said.