Rubio says US to sanction Venezuela’s oil company

Sen. Marco Rubio said the United States will hit Venezuela’s state-owned oil company with sanctions aimed at increasing pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to step down from office.

The Florida Republican said the Treasury will impose penalties as early as Monday on the company known by its acronym PDVSA. The sanctions will include a freeze on any assets the firm may have in U.S. jurisdictions and bar Americans from doing business with it.

Rubio praised the Trump administration for taking the action after recogniz- ing opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela.