US imposes new sanctions on Venezuela

Washington, May 19: The US Treasury has announced it has imposed sanctions on an influential Venezuelan political figure, three persons related to him and his alleged “corruption network”. The Treasury said in a statement on Friday that it has designated Diosdado Cabello, the first-vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, the party of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and Cabello’s wife and brother, Xinhua reported. The statement referred to Cabello as “the second most powerful man in Venezuela” after Maduro, accusing him of money laundering and involvement in trafficking drugs from Venezuela to Europe. Meanwhile, the Treasury also blocked three companies and 14 properties in the United States, which were believed to be owned or controlled by Sarria.

The sanctions would freeze any assets that a blacklisted person holds under US jurisdiction and ban any US individuals or companies from making business deals with them. The US has been stepping up pressure on the South American country by imposing a string of sanctions on its senior officials. Venezuela does not recognize any sanctions imposed on the country without UN authorization, president of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) Delcy Rodriguez said on Wednesday. (IANS)