The U.S. government announced sanctions against 16 allies of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in response to the disputed July presidential election. The Treasury Department targeted individuals such as the head of the country’s high court, leaders of state security forces, and prosecutors, accusing them of impeding the vote and committing human rights violations. The sanctions follow the departure of Edmundo González Urrutia, who represented the main opposition parties and claimed a significant victory in the election.
Venezuela’s electoral officials declared Maduro the winner shortly after the polls closed, without providing detailed vote counts to support their decision. This lack of transparency led to widespread criticism, prompting Maduro to request an audit of the results by Venezuela’s high court, made up of ruling party supporters, which confirmed his victory. International organizations like the United Nations and the Carter Center, invited by Maduro’s government to monitor the election, deemed the electoral results lacking credibility.