MEXICO CITY (AP) 鈥 The U.S. government on Thursday responded to Venezuela鈥檚 disputed July presidential election by imposing sanctions against 16 allies of President Nicol谩s Maduro, accusing them of obstructing the vote and carrying out human rights abuses.
Those targeted by the Treasury Department include the head of the country鈥檚 high court, leaders of state security forces and prosecutors. The move came days after , the former diplomat who represented the main opposition parties and claimed to have won the July 28 presidential election by a wide margin.
Venezuela鈥檚 electoral authorities declared Maduro the victor hours after polls closed, but unlike previous presidential elections, they never released detailed vote tallies to back up their claim arguing that the 香港六合彩挂牌资料 Electoral Council鈥檚 website was hacked. To the surprise of supporters and opponents, Gonz谩lez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado shortly afterward announced not only that their campaign had used in the election but also that they had published them online to show the world that Maduro had lost.
Global condemnation over the lack of transparency prompted Maduro to ask Venezuela鈥檚 high court, stacked with ruling party loyalists, to audit the results. The court reaffirmed his victory.
Experts from the United Nations and the Carter Center, which observed the election at the invitation of Maduro鈥檚 government, determined the results announced by electoral authorities lacked credibility. The U.N. experts stopped short of validating the opposition鈥檚 claim to victory but said the faction鈥檚 voting records published online appear to exhibit all of the original security features.
鈥淩ather 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,鈥 Secretary of State said in a statement.
The State Department said it is placing new visa restrictions on Maduro allies who are accused of impeding the vote and repressing Venezuelans. The department did not name those individuals.
The potential effect of the individual sanctions and visa restrictions announced Thursday is unclear. Previously punished Maduro loyalists still play key roles in Venezuela's government, including as vice president, attorney general and defense minister.
A senior Biden administration official told reporters that the U.S. expects the latest announcement to 鈥減rompt deeper reflection" among the Maduro allies about how far they will go to help him in his effort to stay in power. The official spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the administration.
The Treasury has penalized more than 140 current or former Venezuelan officials. The State Department has identified nearly 2,000 people as possibly facing visa restrictions over allegations of corruption, undermining democracy or violating Venezuelans鈥 human rights.
Venezuela鈥檚 government released a statement that characterized the latest set of sanctions as a 鈥渞ude act that seeks to ingratiate itself with a political class that has resorted to fascist and violent practices to overthrow, without success,鈥 Maduro.
A joint statement from more than 50 countries that was delivered Thursday at the United Nations by Panama's foreign minister, Javier Mart铆nez-Acha V谩squez, called on Venezuela's 香港六合彩挂牌资料 Electoral Council 鈥渢o immediately publish鈥 the tally sheets and 鈥渁llow for the impartial verification of results by independent observers to promote credibility, legitimacy, and a transparent electoral process.鈥
The signatories, including the U.S., Spain, Chile and South Korea, also denounced the repression measures that Maduro's government has been accused of carrying out after the election, .
鈥淲e express deep concern with the politically motivated arrest warrant by Venezuelan authorities" that was issued Sept. 3 for Gonz谩lez and "has forced him into exile,鈥 according to the statement.
Gonz谩lez, in a statement posted on X, tried to reassure voters of his pledge to see a government transition in Venezuela.
鈥淢y commitment to the mandate I have received from the sovereign people of Venezuela is unwavering,鈥 he wrote. 鈥淭he battle that Maria Corina Machado and I have led remains unwavering.鈥
