New sanctions coming for Venezuela officials

BOGOTA (AP) — The Trump administration plans to impose new sanctions on members of Venezuela’s supreme court for alleged human rights violations as it grows more concerned about the crackdown on anti-government protesters, U.S. congressional aides said Thursday.

The aides spoke on condition of anonymity after being briefed on the action, which they say could come as early as later in the day.

One official said the list of blacklisted officials was likely to include Maikel Moreno, the president of the pro-government Supreme Court, which issued a ruling in late March stripping the opposition-controlled congress of its last remaining powers.

The ruling was partially reversed amid international criticism, but it sparked a protest movement that has continued for nearly two months and left more than 40 people dead.

The new designations by the U.S. Treasury Department would be the second round of sanctions that the Trump administration has imposed on high-level Venezuelan officials since taking office. In February, the administration ordered sanctions against VicePresident Tareck El Aissami, accusing him of playing a major role in international drug trafficking.

“From the humanitarian standpoint it is like nothing we’ve seen in a very long time,” President Donald Trump said Thursday.

The threat of new sanctions comes with Venezuela’s socialist president, Nicolas Maduro, facing increasing international pressure to hold elections.