US slaps new sanctions on Venezuela over ‘poll fraud’
Washington, Nov 10: The United States on Thursday slapped more sanctions against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government, targeting 10 officials it said engaged in election irregularities to perpetuate what Washington called a dictatorial regime.
The new sanctions come as EU member states prepare to impose an arms embargo on Venezuela, whose leftist government has sought to tighten its grip on power amid a prolonged economic and political crisis that led to street clashes and 125 dead from April to July.
Things are so dire in oilrich Venezuela that people line up to buy not just food and medicine but basics like soap and toilet paper. Maduro calls the crisis a plot contrived by rich conservative business people backed by the government of President Donald Trump.
The new curbs came in response to October 15 state elections in which pro-Maduro candidates unexpectedly won 18 of 23 gubernatorial seats.
The US treasury department said irregularities ‘strongly suggest fraud’ was used to elect Maduro candidates.
For instance, one of the people sanctioned, Sandra Oblitas Ruzza, vice president of the National Electoral Council, announced the relocation of polling stations just days before the voting, the US said. So people showed up where they thought they could vote, but could not, it added. Venezuela reacted angrily to sanctions, with foreign minister Jorge Arreaza saying they were designed to trigger violence.