US imposing sanctions on 21 top Venezuela officials over election crackdown

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Mayela Armas

The United States is imposing sanctions on 21 senior Venezuelan officials for their role in suppressing protests after a presidential election in July, including members of President Nicolas Maduro's cabinet, a senior Washington official said on Wednesday.

Washington says Maduro falsely claimed victory in the vote and that opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez is the president-elect.

"(This) is not merely about holding Nicolas Maduro accountable," a Biden administration official told reporters. "Officials who are acting unlawfully to uphold his regime based on repressive tactics will also find themselves in the crosshairs of these sanctions."

Venezuela's government rejected the new sanctions in a statement, describing them as "illegitimate measures."

The United States would also be imposing visa restrictions on a number of officials associated with Maduro, the administration official said.

Those sanctioned on Wednesday's list include planning minister Ricardo Jose Menendez and communications minister Freddy Alfred Nazaret, as well as top intelligence officials Alexis Jose Rodriguez and Javier Jose Marcano.

Also included is Daniella Cabello, an erstwhile pop singer and daughter of Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who now runs an economic promotion initiative.

Venezuela's opposition, a number of Western countries and some international organizations have decried the election as non-transparent and have called for the full publication of ballots, with some parties openly labeling the process fraudulent.

The opposition published ballot box tallies on a public website which it says show Gonzalez handily won the contest. Gonzalez has since fled to Spain.

In October, Gonzalez said he would return to Venezuela in January to be sworn in as president.

A senior administration official said the U.S. government has not received a request for assistance in Gonzalez's transportation, did not participate in his departure from Venezuela, and were not asked to do so. They said they would consider a request from him if they receive one.

Venezuela's government has rejected a United Nations human rights report criticizing repression of political opponents and children following the elections.