Nicolas Maduro
The U.S. Treasury announced sanctions against the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. This is stated in the message on the Agency’s website. According to the decision, all assets Maduro to U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and U.S. citizens are prohibited from doing business with him.
Maduro was included in the sanctions list on the basis of Executive decree providing for the imposition of restrictive measures against the Venezuelan officials responsible, according to Washington, for “undermining democracy.”
As noted, sanctions were imposed on the day following the elections to the National constitutional Assembly (NCA), which aims “to illegally usurp the constitutional role of democratically elected national Assembly to rewrite the Constitution and install an authoritarian regime.” The Department called Maduro a “dictator ignoring the will of the Venezuelan people”.
“Punishing Maduro, the United States clearly declare our opposition to the policy of his regime and our support for the people of Venezuela, who seeks to return his country to a full and thriving democracy,” said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. “Anyone who participates in this illegal NKA, may be in the future subjected to the US sanctions for involvement in undermining democratic processes and institutions in Venezuela”, he added.
The Finance Ministry has accused the Venezuelan authorities abusing citizens ‘ rights, repression against the opposition and critics of the regime, and that, despite huge oil reserves, “tens of millions of Venezuelans are starving,” the regime “refuses to import enough food” and “rejects humanitarian assistance.”
However, as reported by Reuters, citing a number of sources, particularly in the U.S. Congress, the decision on sanctions against the oil sector of Venezuela is not accepted, however, such measures are still being considered.
On July 30, Venezuela held elections for the national constituent Assembly (constitutional Assembly). This body will be empowered to amend the Constitution.
July 18, U.S. President Donald trump said that if the Maduro administration does not cancel its plans to convene on July 30, the constituent Assembly, Washington would take “decisive and rapid economic action.”
In Venezuela several months of continued confrontation between the government of the socialists and the opposition, which after the election belongs to the majority in Parliament. The reason for the discontent was the deepest economic crisis in the country caused by the fall in world oil prices — the main export product. The riots are from the beginning of April, victims of collisions became more than 100 people.