White House imposes sanctions on Venezuela and warns of more
WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions on a host of current and former senior Venezuelan officials on Wednesday and threatened to take more stringent action if President Nicolás Maduro proceeds with plans for a constituent assembly on Sunday that critics consider a danger to democracy.
Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, ordered assets in the United States frozen for 13 wellconnected Venezuelan figures and barred Americans from doing business with them. Among those targeted by the administration were the interior minister and heads of the army, police and national guard, as well as government officials involved in the upcoming assembly.
“As President Trump has made clear, the United States will not ignore the Maduro regime’s ongoing efforts to undermine democracy, freedom and the rule of law,” Mnuchin said in a statement. “As our sanctions demonstrate, the United States is standing by the Venezuelan people in their quest to restore their country to a full and prosperous democracy.”
‘A hold on power’
Administration officials urged Maduro to cancel the Sunday assembly or face tougher actions. Among the options on the table could be measures targeting oil sales. “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,” Mnuchin added in his statement.
The constituent assembly elections planned for the weekend are seen by critics as a way to cement Maduro’s hold on power by rewriting the constitution and possibly dissolving state institutions. Protests against the government have led to arrests and violence. The administration cited opposition estimates that as many as 15,000 civilians have been wounded in recent protests and more than 3,000 arrested, with 431 political prisoners still behind bars. The administration also cited allegations of torture and other human rights abuses by the Venezuelan security services.
Among those sanctioned on Wednesday were Nestor Luis Reverol Torres, the minister of interior, justice and peace; Carlos Alfredo Perez Ampueda, the national director of the Bolivarian national police; Sergio Jose Rivero Marcano, commander general of the Bolivarian national guard; and Jesus Rafael Suarez Chourio, the general commander of the Bolivarian army. ‘Engine of corruption’
The Treasury also took aim at Venezuela’s ombudsman, the head of the presidential commission for the constituent assembly and the president of the National Electoral Council. The sanctions also targeted economic figures, including the president of the National Center for Foreign Commerce, which sets the official exchange rate and was described by the Treasury Department as a “significant engine of corruption in Venezuela.”
The move won support across the aisle in Washington. “Today’s announcement of sanctions against 13 senior government and military officials is an important step to hold Venezuela’s leaders accountable for their actions,” Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, D-Md., said in a statement.