WASHINGTON — The Trump administration imposed sanctions Thursday on eight more individuals in Venezuela, including the brother of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in the latest U.S. bid to try to deter further democratic backsliding in the South American country. The penalties focus on current or former Venezuelan government officials accused by the U.S. of supporting President Nicolas Maduro’s creation of a constituent assembly. “President Maduro swore in this illegitimate constituent assembly to further entrench his dictatorship, and continues to tighten his grip on the country,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. Adan Chavez has been appointed secretary of the new assembly and also is a former governor and minister in Venezuela’s government. Those sanctions followed a previous round, days before the planned vote, that hit 13 current or former top officials in Maduro’s government.

Source: National Post August 09, 2017 17:03 UTC