Biden sanctions Maduro allies four months after disputed election

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced fresh sanctions targeting senior officials within Nicolás Maduro’s regime, marking four months since the Venezuelan president’s refusal to relinquish power after losing the country’s presidential election.

The latest U.S. measures impose restrictions on 21 high-ranking officials, including members of the Bolivarian National Guard, national police, and intelligence services. Visa restrictions were also applied to a group of Maduro-aligned officials.

The sanctions are part of a broader campaign against Maduro’s undemocratic practices, following the Organization of American States’ determination that he lost the July election to Edmundo González, who has since sought refuge in Spain amid growing repression by Maduro’s forces. To date, the U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned over 150 Venezuelan individuals linked to the regime’s crackdown on democratic opposition.

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One senior administration official commented, “The individuals sanctioned today are senior Venezuelan officials, including from the Maduro-aligned Bolivarian National Guard, Bolivarian national police, militia, national intelligence service, and general directorate of military intelligence.” A second official further highlighted the ongoing review of licenses tied to Venezuelan oil sales, leaving open the possibility of further actions before President Biden’s term concludes in January.

“We will continue to promote accountability for Maduro and his representatives so long as they continue repressing the Venezuelan people,” the official emphasized. “Just because we have not taken action so far does not mean we won’t in the future.”

Additionally, the administration hinted at the potential for high-level meetings with González in the coming weeks. While González has expressed intentions to return to Venezuela by early January, U.S. officials noted they had not yet received a formal request for security assistance to facilitate his return.