US Imposes New anti-Venezuela Sanctions, Targeting 6 Security Officials

Earlier, US Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams said that the US would announce more sanctions against Venezuela and introduce a UN resolution on humanitarian aid deliveries to the country.

The US Treasury Department issued new Venezuela-related sanctions on Friday against six individuals, according to its website.

According to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury, the sanctions list includes six more citizens of the Latin American country who Washington alleges are involved in President Nicolas Maduro's 'human rights' violations and other abuses.

At the same time, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the US would continue to target the supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with sanctions.

"The United States strongly supports the efforts of Interim President Juan Guaido, and Treasury will continue to target Maduro loyalists prolonging the suffering of the victims of this man-made humanitarian crisis," Mnuchin said.

Washington has already imposed numerous sanctions on Venezuela and has also seized the country's assets.

On 28 January, the United States, which is supporting self-proclaimed Venezuelan president Juan Guaido, introduced sanctions against the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, having blocked its assets and interests, worth of $7 billion. Washington also prohibited any deal with the Venezuelan oil company.

On 1 November 2018, US President Donald Trump ordered sanctions on Venezuela's gold reserve. According to the US administration, Washington was seeking to prevent the Venezuelan authorities from plundering the country's property and harm Venezuela's infrastructure and environment.