US imposes sanctions in wake of disputed Venezuela presidential election

The United States announced Thursday that it will sanction 16 of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s allies following July’s disputed presidential election that kept him in power.

The sanctions will impact leaders of the National Electoral Council, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice and the “Maduro-affiliated national assembly,” the U.S. State Department announced.

“These officials impeded a transparent electoral process and the release of accurate election results,” the department’s release said.

The sanctions come just days after Maduro’s challenger, opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González fled the country for asylum in Spain as part of a negotiated deal.

The United States and other countries recognize González as the rightful winner of the July 28 election, even though Maduro was named the winner.

“Rather than respecting the will of the Venezuelan people as expressed at the ballot box, Maduro and his representatives have falsely claimed victory while repressing and intimidating the democratic opposition in an illegitimate attempt to cling to power by force,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Blinken previously called the election results “deeply flawed.” As of Thursday, the Treasury Department has now sanctioned more than 140 current or former Venezuelan officials for “contributing to the situation in the country.”

The State Department has also identified nearly 2,000 people, who could be subject to visa restrictions, for their different roles in “undermining democracy, engaging in significant corruption or violating the human rights of the Venezuelan people.”

Unlike past elections, detailed vote tallies were not released to confirm Maduro’s win. After global leaders condemned the election, Maduro asked Venezuela’s high court to audit the results, which reaffirmed his victory, The Associated Press reported.

“The United States will continue to promote accountability for those undermining democracy in Venezuela,” Blinken said in the statement.