US slaps sanctions on Venezuelan officials over post-election crackdown

The US says its sanctions people 21 individuals progressive successful anti-democratic practices and the repression of protests.

The United States has announced sanctions against 21 allies of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, citing alleged engagement successful the suppression of protests pursuing a contested July election.

Officials with the US Department of the Treasury said connected Wednesday that the harsh crackdown, successful which astatine slightest 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 successful the aftermath of the Venezuelan statesmanlike predetermination are a hopeless effort to soundlessness the voices of its citizens,” Bradley Smith, the acting undersecretary of the Treasury Department, said successful a statement.

The sanctions travel months aft a July 28 statesmanlike predetermination successful which Maduro claimed victory, contempt pre-election polling showing him losing by an insurmountable margin.

When the predetermination results were announced without the accustomed breakdown of votes, the opposition denounced the tally arsenic fraudulent. It published copies of ballot sheets online that it said proved absorption campaigner Edmundo Gonzalez won the race.

International observers besides questioned the predetermination results. “Venezuela’s 2024 statesmanlike predetermination did not conscionable planetary standards of electoral integrity and cannot beryllium considered democratic,” The Carter Center, a US-based nonprofit, wrote successful a news release afterwards.

Last week, the medication of US President Joe Biden recognised Gonzalez arsenic Venezuela’s morganatic leader. It is unclear what effect that announcement, on with the caller circular of sanctions, volition person connected Venezuela.

A abstracted news release from the US Department of State said that the sanctions people “members of the information forces and cabinet-level officials” who “undermined a competitory and inclusive electoral process successful Venezuela oregon are liable for acts of repression”.

“Maduro’s information apparatus has engaged successful wide abuses, including killings, repression and wide detention of protestors,” the State Department wrote.

The merchandise besides said that specified sanctions person been applied to a full of 180 existent and erstwhile Venezuelan officials, including today’s batch. Nearly 2,000 radical look visa restrictions for their alleged relation successful the electoral repression arsenic well.

The Maduro authorities has faced increasing diplomatic isolation pursuing the election, which awarded the bus-driver-turned-president a 3rd word successful office.

Some leaders successful the region, including Brazil’s Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, had antecedently expressed a tendency for stronger ties with Venezuela. But some men person since formed uncertainty connected the legitimacy of Maduro’s triumph and called for the merchandise of voting tallies that could corroborate the government’s claims.

Maduro’s authorities has yet to merchandise specified documentation.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, left Venezuela aft the authorities issued a warrant for his arrest, portion of a wider run against members of the opposition. He is presently successful Spain.

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies