Press. voanews.com
The United States has imposed sanctions on Venezuela's president,
Nicolas Maduro, over what it called his "illegitimate" election of an
assembly to rewrite the constitution. All of Maduro's assets in the United
States are frozen and Americans are forbidden from doing any business with him.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the sanctions Monday in
Washington, calling Maduro a "dictator" who ignores the will of the
Venezuelan people. "By sanctioning Maduro, the United States makes clear
our opposition to the policies of his regime and our support for the people of
Venezuela, who seek to reform their country to a full and prosperous
democracy."
Maduro showed his apparent indifference to the sanctions late Monday,
calling them a sign of President Donald Trump's "desperation and
hate." "I will not obey imperial orders. I do not obey any foreign
governments. I'm a free president," Maduro declared. "Why the hell
should we care what Trump says? We care about what the sovereign people of
Venezuela say," he shouted Monday to a crowd of supporters in Caracas.
The sanctions against Maduro follow those imposed last week on a number
of current and former senior Venezuelan officials. Mnuchin would not comment on
future sanctions, including a ban on Venezuelan oil exports. He said the U.S.
will monitor the situation, but that "our objective is not to do anything
to hurt the people of Venezuela."
Peru has called for a meeting of Latin America foreign ministers in Lima
next week to discuss the crisis in Venezuela. The European Union also says it
will not recognize the assembly, along with Canada, Spain, and nearly every
Latin American country. Maduro is defying the global condemnation, especially
from what he regards as Venezuela's arch enemy, the United States.
Maduro presses ahead
The Maduro government appeared determined to go through with forming the
545-member constituent assembly, even before it releases final results of the
election. The government said more than 8 million people cast ballots; the
opposition, which boycotted the vote, said the turnout was much lower.
Reporters on the ground in Caracas said dozens of polling places were almost
deserted Sunday.
If 8 million people voted, that would be less than half of all
registered voters. Pre-election polls showed more than 70 percent of all
Venezuelans opposed the assembly.
Details on what is likely to be included in a new constitution are
unclear. Maduro has said it is the only way to pull Venezuela out of its severe
economic and social crisis and stop the seemingly endless violence.
The opposition said the measure would bring on a socialist dictatorship.
It contended the vote was rigged, in order to pack the assembly with Maduro
supporters who could dissolve the opposition-controlled national assembly and
fire officials who disagree with the government. Maduro's opponents are demanding
early presidential elections.
Violent protests
Sunday's election was the bloodiest day in four months of
anti-government protests, with at least 10 people killed in clashes around the
country. More than 120 have died since early April. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin
on Monday accused the Venezuelan government of "deliberately and
repeatedly" using violence to repress the opposition.
The drop in global energy prices, together with political corruption,
have destroyed oil-rich Venezuela's economy. Gasoline, medicine, and such basic
staples as cooking oil, flour and sugar are scarce, and many Venezuelans cross
into neighboring Colombia and Brazil to buy food. Maduro has blamed the
country's woes on what he calls U.S. imperialism and its supporters inside
Venezuela. He has warned against intervention by the Organization of American
States, saying that would surely lead to civil war.