US sanctions 10 Venezuelan officials

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The U.S. on Thursday continued to tighten economic penalties on Venezuela, sanctioning 10 current and former government officials for what it called efforts to suppress the popular will in the country.

The blacklisted individuals are involved in "undermining electoral processes, media censorship, or corruption in government-administered food programs", the Treasury Department said in a statement.

They include Sandra Oblitas Ruzza, the vice president of Venezuela’s National Electoral Council; Elvis Eduardo Hidrobo Amoroso, the Second Vice President of Venezuela’s Constituent Assembly; and Venezuelan envoy Julian Isaias Rodriguez Diaz, who the Treasury listed as the former vice president of the assembly.

The head of the country’s National Telephone Company, Manuel Angel Fernandez Melendez, was also blacklisted.

“We will maintain our vigorous efforts to sanction Venezuelan government officials who are complicit in Maduro’s attempts to undermine democracy, violate human rights, inhibit the freedom of expression or peaceful assembly, or engage in public corruption, unless they break from [President Nicolas] Maduro’s dictatorial regime," Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said.

All of the assets held by the blacklisted individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction have been frozen as a result of the new designations. Americans are also prohibited from doing business with them.

They are the fifth round of U.S. sanctions this year as President Donald Trump seeks to ramp up pressure on Maduro and his government.

Maduro was sanctioned in late July ahead of the election of a national assembly with the power to rewrite the country's Constitution. The U.S. has warned the assembly is an effort to undermine Venezuela's democracy.

The unusual move to sanction a head of state was later followed by a series of sanctions aimed at piling up pressure on Maduro's inner circle.

Venezuela has struggles to continue its socialist agenda in an era of low crude oil prices. Economic decline has led to deadly protests against the government and demands Maduro be removed from office.

Maduro, who was hand-picked by popular former President Hugo Chavez who died of cancer in 2013, has blamed the country’s economic and political woes on interference by the U.S. and its regional allies.