The White House announced it imposed sanctions on eight more Venezuelan officials today, including the brother of the late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, for undermining democracy in the country.

The US did not impose broader financial or "sectoral" sanctions on the country's key oil industry, though they have said such actions are still under consideration.

The fresh sanctions punish officials by freezing their US assets, banning travel to the US and prohibiting them from doing business with Americans. They were put in place because the officials helped President Nicolas Maduro create a new legislative superbody, US officials said.

Trump's administration has slapped sanctions on Maduro himself and a number of other officials over the past few weeks.

Maduro last week established a new constituent assembly - an all-powerful body run by his socialist party loyalists.

"President Maduro swore in this illegitimate constituent assembly to further entrench his dictatorship," US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

"This regime’s disregard for the will of the Venezuelan people is unacceptable, and the United States will stand with them in opposition to tyranny."

Read more: Corbyn has abandoned the victims of Venezuelan socialism </s> The Treasury Department announced Monday that it was imposing new sanctions on four Venezuelan governors connected to beleaguered President Nicolas Maduro’s government — blocking any assets they control in the US.

“The illegitimate Maduro regime’s attempts to blockade international aid intended for the Venezuelan people are shameful,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

“Treasury is targeting four state governors aligned with former President Maduro for standing in the way of severely needed humanitarian assistance and prolonging the suffering of the Venezuelan people.”

The four officials are involved in “endemic corruption” and “blocking the delivery of critical humanitarian aid, thereby exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the illegitimate Maduro regime,” the department said.

The new round of sanctions comes as Vice President Mike Pence and Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó met in Bogota, Colombia, with members of the Lima Group, a bloc of nations from Argentina to Canada dedicated to the resolution of the Venezuelan crisis.

“We are with you 100 percent,” Pence said ahead of the start of the meeting. “I want to assure you, President Guaidó, the tragic events of this past weekend have only steeled the resolve of the United States to stand with you … We will keep standing until your libertad is restored.”

Earlier this month, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control ramped up sanctions on Maduro’s intelligence services and management of the state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela.

Sanctions were imposed on two governors who head states along the Colombian border.

Omar Jose Prieto Fernandez is governor of Zulia, which Treasury described as a hub for organized crime, where drug trafficking and murder-for-hire is rampant.

On Feb. 12, Prieto threatened to visit the homes of opposition leaders who permitted access to humanitarian aid in Venezuela. He also recently threatened to declare Venezuela’s “oil state” of Zulia independent should a new transition government take power.

Ramon Alonso Carrizalez Rengifo, the governor of Apure and former defense minister, had “endorsed” threats of violence against opposition protesters, the department said.

Also sanctioned were Jorge Luis Garcia Carneiro, the governor of Vargas and also a former defense minister, who has rejected Guaidó as interim president, and Rafael Alejandro Lacava Evangelista, the governor of Carabobo whom Treasury described as a Maduro intermediary involved in hiding funds overseas. </s> The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced sanctions against 8 new individuals in Venezuela on Wednesday over their involvement in the creation of the country’s National Constituent Assembly.

Seven of the designated individuals are current or former senior Venezuelan officials and one was otherwise identified by the United States as undermining democracy in the country. Six of the sanctioned Venezuelans played a significant role in organizing or creating the National Constituent Assembly. The brother of socialist leader Hugo Chavez is among the sanctioned officials.

“President Maduro swore in this illegitimate Constituent Assembly to further entrench his dictatorship, and continues to tighten his grip on the country,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a statement on Wednesday. “This regime’s disregard for the will of the Venezuelan people is unacceptable, and the United States will stand with them in opposition to tyranny until Venezuela is restored to a peaceful and prosperous democracy.”

On Tuesday, the new national assembly, which has the power to rewrite the country’s constitution, declared itself superior to all other branches of government. That means opposition groups are prohibited from acting in a way that interferes with laws it passes.

In the run up to the Venezuelan election of the National Constituent Assembly, orchestrated by President Nicolas Maduro, the Trump administration warned it would take “swift” economic action in reaction to what it views as a subversion of democracy in the country. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also reiterated the White House’s stance that anyone elected to, or associated with, the National Constituent Assembly could be at risk of being sanctioned.

The U.S. Treasury has already sanctioned 13 current and former Venezuelan officials and on July 31, it designated Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pursuant to the same executive order. </s> Treasury targets government officials as humanitarian aid is prevented from entering Venezuela

Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four officials aligned with the illegitimate regime of former President Nicolas Maduro. This action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, targets the Governors of four Venezuelan states involved in endemic corruption and in blocking the delivery of critical humanitarian aid, thereby exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the illegitimate Maduro regime.

“The illegitimate Maduro regime’s attempts to blockade international aid intended for the Venezuelan people are shameful. Treasury is targeting four state governors aligned with former President Maduro for standing in the way of severely needed humanitarian assistance and prolonging the suffering of the Venezuelan people,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “The United States fully supports the efforts of Interim President Juan Guaidó to address the endemic corruption, human rights abuses, and violent repression that has become the hallmark of the illegitimate Maduro regime, and looks forward to the restoration of a democratically elected government for the people of Venezuela.”

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of these individuals, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by these individuals, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons.

U.S. sanctions need not be permanent; sanctions are intended to bring about a positive change of behavior. The United States has made clear that the removal of sanctions is available for persons designated under E.O. 13692 or E.O. 13850 who take concrete and meaningful actions to restore democratic order, refuse to take part in human rights abuses, speak out against abuses committed by the former Maduro regime, and combat corruption in Venezuela.

The following four individuals designated today have been determined to be current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela:



• Omar Jose Prieto Fernandez (Prieto) is the Governor of Zulia State, Venezuela, a position he has held since December 2017. Zulia, located in northwestern Venezuela on the border with Colombia, is known as a hub for organized crime, where narcotics trafficking and murder-for-hire is commonplace. Sophisticated and prolific criminal structures exist throughout Zulia State, penetrating even the border police force under Prieto’s governorship, as several border police officers and the local Zulia police unit have come under investigation for their roles in drug and illegal weapons trafficking. As the Venezuelan people suffer from a lack of access to daily essentials, on February 12, 2019, Prieto threatened to visit the homes of opposition leaders who permitted access to humanitarian aid in Venezuela. Additionally, in response to mass protests, Prieto recently threatened to declare Venezuela’s “oil state” of Zulia independent should a new transition government take power in Venezuela. Known for its massive oil fields below Lake Maracaibo, Zulia is amongst the highest energy-consuming states in Venezuela, but has been experiencing severe electricity shortages, leading to electricity rationing in the midst of the ever-worsening humanitarian crisis.

• Ramon Alonso Carrizalez Rengifo (Carrizalez) is the Governor of Apure State, Venezuela, a state along Venezuela’s border with Colombia. Carrizalez was the Vice President of Venezuela from 2008 to early January 2010, as well as the Minister of Defense from 2009 to early January 2010. As of January 2019, there have been growing, massive presences of military and police forces in the streets throughout Apure State, threatening violence and attacking protestors. Carrizalez is accused of endorsing this blatant repression of democratic actors. In 2014, Carrizalez said that Apure State is infested with drug gangs, and that he believed that ranches along the border of Apure were involved in money laundering.

• Jorge Luis Garcia Carneiro (Garcia) is the Governor of Vargas State, Venezuela, a position he has held since 2008. Garcia was previously the head of the Venezuelan Army from January 2003 to January 2004, then became the Minister of Defense and held that position until December 2006. Additionally, Garcia was a former Minister for Social Development and Popular Participation. As of January 2019, Garcia rejected Juan Guaidó’s position as the Interim President of Venezuela. Garcia said that the people of Vargas State will continue the fight and stay in the streets to show support for former-President Maduro.

• Rafael Alejandro Lacava Evangelista (Lacava) is the Governor of Carabobo State, Venezuela, a position he has held since October 2017. Lacava formerly served as Mayor of Puerto Cabello, the municipality that is home to Venezuela’s largest port, and was previously the Venezuelan Ambassador to Italy, a position he was appointed to in February 2007. Lacava has long been a friend and significant intermediary of former-President Maduro, and continues to act on his behalf. In early 2018, Lacava was accused of hiding funds in Switzerland and Andorra.

For information about the methods that Venezuelan senior political figures, their associates, and front persons use to move and hide corrupt proceeds, including how they try to exploit the U.S. financial system and real estate market, please refer to FinCEN’s advisories FIN-2017-A006, “Advisory on Widespread Public Corruption in Venezuela,” and FIN-2017-A003, “Advisory to Financial Institutions and Real Estate Firms and Professionals.”



#### </s> The United States is imposing sanctions on eight more individuals, including the brother of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, whom it accuses of undermining democracy in the South American country.

The Treasury Department said seven are current or former Venezuelan government officials. The U.S. says they supported the creation of a constituent assembly that is charged with rewriting Venezuela's constitution and has declared itself superior to all other government institutions.

Chavez's brother Adan — among those targeted — has been appointed secretary of the new assembly.

The U.S. has called the vote to create the assembly illegitimate and a sign that President Nicolas Maduro is trying to strengthen what the U.S. calls his "dictatorship."

The U.S. previously targeted Maduro himself with sanctions, in a rare action against a foreign head of state. </s> U.S. sanctions eight more Venezuelan officials, including Chavez brother

The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on eight more Venezuelan officials, including the brother of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, to punish them for their roles in President Nicolas Maduro’s creation of a new legislative superbody, U.S. officials said, Reuters reported.

The new measures announced by the U.S. Treasury Department will freeze the U.S. assets of the targeted individuals, ban them from travel to the United States and prohibit Americans from doing business with them.

Washington slapped sanctions on Maduro himself last week following similar action against 13 Venezuelan officials on July 26. </s> The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on eight more Venezuelan officials, including the brother of late socialist leader Hugo Chávez, to punish them for their role in President Nicolás Maduro’s creation of a new legislative superbody, US officials said.

The United States targeted individual politicians and security figures but stopped short of placing broader financial or “sectoral” sanctions on its vital oil industry though such actions, the officials told Reuters, are still under consideration.

The new measures announced by the Treasury Department will freeze their US assets, ban them from travel to the United States and prohibit Americans from doing business with them. Washington slapped sanctions on Maduro himself last week following similar action against 13 Venezuelan figures on July 26.

The sanctions marked a further escalation of the US response to Maduro’s establishment last week of the new constituent assembly, an all-powerful body run by his Socialist party loyalists and which has drawn international condemnation.

“President Maduro swore in this illegitimate constituent assembly to further entrench his dictatorship, and continues to tighten his grip on the country,” US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. “This regime’s disregard for the will of the Venezuelan people is unacceptable, and the United States will stand with them in opposition to tyranny until Venezuela is restored to a peaceful and prosperous democracy.“

Most prominent among those targeted on Wednesday was Adán Chávez, 64, a physicist and late president Hugo Chavez’s elder brother. He is former culture minister, served for nearly a decade as governor of his home state of Barinas and is now secretary of the new assembly’s presidential commission.

Also facing sanctions was Bladimir Armas, a national guard colonel accused by government critics of human rights abuses.

The latest measures were intended to make good on the Trump administration’s threats to sanction anyone who helped create or joined the new assembly. The US government accused all eight of participating “in actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Venezuela”.

Donald Trump’s administration is continuing to weigh possible sanctions against more senior figures, including Venezuelan defense minister Vladimir Padrino and Socialist party No 2 Diosdado Cabello, and they could be included in future sanctions packages if Maduro does not change course, the US officials told Reuters.

But experts say individual sanctions, while providing strong symbolism, have had little or no impact on Maduro’s policies.

The United States has held off from imposing broader sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry, mindful of the potential not only for deepening the suffering of the Venezuelan people but also the risk of causing problems for US companies and consumers. </s> WASHINGTON, July 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury threatened on Wednesday to impose sanctions on anyone who joins Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's controversial new congress after an election scheduled for Sunday.

"Anyone elected to the National Constituent Assembly should know that their role in undermining democratic processes and institutions in Venezuela could expose them to potential U.S. sanctions,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement announcing sanctions against 13 current and former Venezuelan officials. (Reporting by Matt Spetalnick; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) </s> The Treasury Department announced new sanctions on three Venezuelans as the U.S. ratchets up pressure on the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has overseen a crackdown on protesters amid an economic crisis fueled by rapid inflation.

The sanctions targets include Pedro Luis Martin Olivares, a former Venezuelan intelligence official now under indictment in Florida on drug trafficking charges. The penalties also cover two people identified as his associates, Walter Alexander Del Nogal Marquez and Mario Antonio Rodriguez Espinoza, along with 20 companies in Venezuela and Panama the Treasury Department says are owned or controlled by the three.

The three people were designated for sanctions under a U.S. law targeting narcotics kingpins.

The Treasury Department said in a statement that Martin used his government position to accept bribes from drug traffickers, and helped facilitate the movement of multi-ton loads of cocaine through Venezuelan airspace. The 20 companies -- of which 16 are based in Venezuela -- were used to launder illicit proceeds from the drug trade, according to the statement.

“This action is in response to Martin’s extensive drug trafficking and money laundering activities. Systemic corruption and a collapse in the rule of law are defining features of Venezuela’s government,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement. “We will deny corrupt Venezuelan regime officials access to the U.S. financial system as we work with international partners to support the Venezuelan people in restoration of democracy and a return to prosperity.”

The sanctions are the latest in a series of financial penalties the Trump Administration has imposed on the Maduro government. In March, the U.S. banned purchases of a cryptocurrency the Venezuelan government rolled out. In August, the administration froze assets of eight current and former Venezuelan officials, including Adan Chavez, brother of the late president Hugo Chavez, and Hermann Escarra, a constitutional adviser to Maduro. And earlier last year, the administration took the unusual step of sanctioning Maduro directly after he proceeded with a vote on a new assembly that was a first step to revise the constitution.
The United States Department of the Treasury imposes sanctions on governors of four states of Venezuela, all of them members of the ruling United Socialist Party.