City
Epaper

US sanctions Venezuelan President Maduro's son

By IANS | Updated: June 29, 2019 15:45 IST

The US government has imposed sanctions on the Venezuelan President's son Nicolas "Nicolasito" Ernesto Maduro Guerra, accusing him of profiting from the "corruption" rampant in the government headed by his father.

Open in App

"(President Nicolas) Maduro relies on his son Nicolasito and others close to his authoritarian regime to maintain a stranglehold on the economy and suppress the people of Venezuela," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement on Friday.

Nicolasito, 29, is a member of the National Constituent Assembly, considered "illegitimate" by the US, and was designated by his father to be Director of the Inspectors Corps of the Presidency.

Mnuchin said that "Maduro's regime is built on fraudulent elections and his inner circle lives in luxury off the proceeds of corruption while the Venezuelan people suffer", Efe news reported.

"Treasury will continue to target complicit relatives," he added.

Washington's move freezes all the assets Nicolasito has under the US jurisdiction and bans all American organizations and companies from doing business with him.

The Venezuelan crisis is one of the issues on US President Donald Trump's agenda to discuss with other world leaders at the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan.

Since coming to the White House in January 2017, the Trump government has stepped up the pressure on Caracas and applied economic penalties on over 100 Venezuelan officials and those in Maduro's inner circle, including his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores.

The US has also taken aim at Venezuela's principal source of income with tough sanctions on state oil company PDVSA, while revoking the visas of Venezuelan officials.

Venezuela is going through its worst political tension since January when Maduro was sworn in for another six-year term as Chief Executive, which was not accepted by the opposition nor by much of the international community.

In response, opposition leader and National Assembly Speaker Juan Guaido proclaimed himself as interim President of the country. The US was the first country to recognize Guaido as interim head of state and was later joined by some 50 other countries, most of them in Latin America.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: venezuelausNicolasmaduro
Open in App

Related Stories

NationalFlorida Plane Crash: 2 Killed After Small Aircraft Crashes in Coral Springs Lake (Watch Video)

InternationalFung Wong Live Tracker Map: Tropical Storm Triggers Flash Floods Across Guam; Check Real-Time Status Here

InternationalNew York: 7 Firefighters Injured in Car Blast in The Bronx (Watch Video)

InternationalLouisville Plane Crash: 7 Killed, 11 Injured After UPS Cargo Flight Crashes Near Airport in Kentucky; Videos Surface

BusinessUS Visa Medical in Pakistan: How to Book Your Appointment Fast & Stress-Free

International Realted Stories

InternationalTrump's chip tariff plan likely postponed: report

InternationalIMF flags deep corruption risks, urges urgent reforms to lift Pakistan's economic growth

InternationalIndia calls for United Global Action on Energy Security on sidelines of COP30 in Brazil

InternationalThe many times Trump echoed Saudi Crown Prince Khashoggi's denials

InternationalDonald Trump’s son to visit Taj Mahal today along with 126 special guests from 40 countries