US hits Venezuelans with sanctions in response to crackdown
The Trump administration on Thursday hit another 10 current and former Venezuelan officials with financial sanctions over corruption and abuse of power allegations related to President Nicolas Maduro's ruling party's crackdown on opposition.
The Treasury Department said the penalties were imposed following what it called flawed regional elections last month in Venezuela. Those elections were marred by irregularities "that strongly suggest fraud helped the ruling party unexpectedly win a majority of governorships," it said.
The sanctions freeze any assets that the affected officials have in US jurisdictions and bar Americans from doing business with them. Among the officials named are the country's former communications and food ministers, Ernesto Villegas and Carlos Osorio, along with others involved in organizing elections. Treasury said the officials all had a role in undermining electoral processes, media censorship, or corruption in government-administered food programs.
