The Biden administration imposed sanctions Thursday in opposition to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and a number of other of his associates for undermining the electoral course of and violating the civil and human rights of its residents.
White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre introduced the sanctions whereas talking to reporters throughout a briefing Thursday.
“President Biden’s approach to foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere has been based on his belief that democracy is fundamentally vital for sustained economic prosperity and security,” she stated. “Now, Venezuela is no exception, and the blatant electoral fraud following the July 28 presidential elections must continue to be condemned and those obstructing democracy held accountable.
“And that’s the reason, to that finish, right now we took two necessary actions to carry Nicolás Maduro and his cronies accountable for his or her blatant electoral fraud, obstruction of a aggressive and inclusive election and violation of the civil and human rights of the folks.”
MADURO CRACKDOWN ON POLITICAL OPPONENTS FOLLOWING RIGGED ELECTION: ‘CHILLED PEOPLE INTO SILENCE’
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro addresses government loyalists gathered at the presidential palace in support of his re-election, one month after the presidential vote, in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Jean-Pierre said U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen placed sanctions on 16 of Maduro’s affiliated officials along with visa restrictions on a number of his allied officials who “undermined” the electoral process in Venezuela and “are liable for acts of repression.”
The press secretary also said the U.S. has, to date, sanctioned over 140 current and former Venezuelan officials while also taking steps to impose visa restrictions on about 2,000 individuals.
Critics contend the real problem lies with allowing the Maduro regime continued access to lucrative oil contracts.
“The present method seems to be overly centered on a single tactic. What’s the level of imposing sanctions if, on the identical time, oil licenses proceed to be renewed? Feeding kleptocracy $20B per 12 months,” Isaias Medina III, a former U.N. Security Council diplomat and Harvard Mason fellow, told Fox News Digital Thursday.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“Actual stress comes from taking decisive actions, corresponding to issuing a purple discover from Interpol, intercepting each drug cargo and blocking the coast to forestall the motion of oil. As an alternative of merely warning them, concrete steps needs to be taken to reveal their involvement in drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption and human rights violations. This contains pushing for his or her removing from the United Nations as a result of their illegitimacy and compelling the worldwide neighborhood to take a unified stance in opposition to them.”
Venezuela’s July 28 election saw Maduro claiming victory by more than 1 million votes. Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, was seeking a third six-year term. Meanwhile, the main opposition coalition, Vente Venezuela, has accused him of trying to steal the vote. The Vente Venezuela campaign has released records showing opposition candidate Edmundo González winning by a more than 2-to-1 margin. The main leader of the opposition, González, and opposition leader María Corina Machado have gone into hiding since the vote.
The opposition suffered a further setback when Venezuela’s controversial Supreme Court reasserted Maduro as the winner of the disputed elections. Maduro’s hand-picked court declared the voting tallies showing any reports of his loss were fabricated.
US, BRAZIL FLOAT NEW VENEZUELA ELECTION DESPITE GOVERNMENT, OPPOSITION REBUFFS
A supporter shouts slogans during a protest against the result of the presidential election July 30, 2024, in Caracas, Venezuela. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
The U.S., European Union (EU) and a slate of Latin American countries have categorically rejected the Venezuelan high court’s certification. Maduro and his government have refused to release official tally sheets from last month’s election.
Maduro’s claim of victory ignited protests across Venezuela, prompting his regime to engage in a wave of violent repression. Security forces have apprehended more than 2,000 demonstrators, many of whom were taken to torture camps.
Earlier this month, the U.S. seized a plane owned by Maduro in the Dominican Republic.
US SEIZES VENEZUELAN LEADER MADURO’S PLANE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Maduro’s plane on a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., tarmac after U.S. authorities seized the aircraft and flew it from the Dominican Republic. (WFOR)
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) flew Maduro’s personal plane back to the United States Monday morning, when it landed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is now in U.S. custody, a U.S. official told Fox News following an initial report by CNN.
The plane, described by officials as Maduro’s version of “Air Power One,” is used for Maduro’s state visits around the world and was seized in the Dominican Republic after it was purchased through a straw company in violation of sanctions laws and export controls, the official said. U.S. authorities cited a specific violation of U.S. Executive Order 13884, signed by former President Trump in 2019.
The plane, valued at $13 million, is a Dassault Falcon 900-EX. The seizure was a result of a joint investigation between HSI and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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In August 2019, Trump issued Executive Order 13884, which prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with persons who have acted or purported to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of, the government of Venezuela, including as a member of the Maduro regime. To protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, the Department of Commerce has also imposed export controls for items intended, entirely or in part, for a Venezuelan military or military-intelligence end user, according to the Department of Justice.
Fox News’ Kyra Colah, Danielle Wallace and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
