Among those sanctioned is Daniella Desiree Cabello Contreras, daughter of the Venezuelan Interior Minister
Caracas calls the sanctions "a desperate act by a decadent and erratic government that seeks to hide its resounding electoral failure"
The United States authorities have imposed this Wednesday a package of sanctions against 21 officials of the Government of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and members of his security apparatus for their involvement in the “electoral fraud” and in the “repressive” actions adopted after the elections of July 28.
The Treasury Department said in a statement that all of them — including Daniella Desiree Cabello Contreras, the daughter of the Venezuelan Interior Minister — have been sanctioned because they maintain ties with the authorities of the Caribbean country and have “supported and contributed to carrying out Maduro’s orders to repress civil society in its efforts to fraudulently declare himself the winner of the Venezuelan elections.”
“They have helped to ignore the will of the majority of voters, who have elected Edmundo González Urrutia as their next president,” the statement said, pointing out that the security forces — of which some of those sanctioned are part — have arbitrarily detained some opponents in a massive and violent manner, denying the population the right to peacefully assemble,” the Treasury said.
Among the tactics used by these officials are “arbitrary arrests,” including that of González himself, who “was forced to leave Venezuela,” the statement said. “All of this represents a desperate attempt to silence the voices of citizens,” said the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Affairs, Bradley T. Smith.
“The United States will continue to target those who use violence and intimidation to undermine democracy and the legitimate right to freedom of expression,” the Treasury said, which already places at 2,000 the number of people who have been restricted for “being involved in acts of corruption or having violated the Human Rights of the United States.” Venezuelan people.”
Among those sanctioned are the Minister of the Office of the President, AnÃbal Coronado; the Minister of Communication, Freddy Ñáñez; and the Minister of Penitentiary Services, Julio GarcÃa Zerpa, in addition to several high-ranking officials of the Bolivarian National Guard, the Bolivarian National Police, the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) and the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM).
“DESPERATE ACT”
The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned “in the strongest terms the illegitimate imposition of unilateral coercive measures” against “a group of patriots” who “have dedicated themselves to safeguarding peace, stability, economic recovery and national unity” against the “fascist violence” of the United States.
“The measures announced today are a desperate act by a decadent and erratic government that seeks to hide its resounding electoral failure and the serious social crisis in which it has left the country, with a new aggression against the noble Venezuelan people,” it said.
According to Caracas, the United States sanctions seek “to give a last breath to a dispersed and discredited fascist group that has no roots in the Venezuelan population in order to prolong its failed policy of regime change.”
“Four months after the great popular victory, the Bolivarian Government reaffirms its unwavering commitment to continue consolidating its participatory and leading democratic model and strengthening its economy in the midst of constant unpunished aggression,” the Ministry added.
