US Sanctions 16 Venezuelan Officials Over Election Controversy

The United ‍States has imposed sanctions on 16 Venezuelan officials, including members of the National Electoral Council, the Supreme Court of ‍Justice, and⁣ the National Assembly, over their roles ‍in ​the disputed presidential election.

Those ⁢sanctioned include Caryslia Rodriguez, president of the Supreme Court; Antonio José Meneses, general secretary ​of the National Electoral Council; and Pedro Infante Aparicio, vice-president of the ⁢National Assembly.

Secretary‍ of State Antony Blinken stated that “instead of respecting the will⁢ of the Venezuelan people expressed in the polls, ⁢Maduro ⁢and his representatives have falsely announced their victory ‌while‌ oppressing and terrorizing the democratic opposition in an illegal bid to cling to power.”

Sanctioned Individuals

• Inocencio Antonio Figueroa Arizaleta, TSJ magistrate in‌ the Constitutional Chamber​ of the TSJ, for supporting the Electoral Chamber’s decision to ‍review and certify the CNE’s claim that Maduro won the elections.
• Malakias Gil ‌Rodríguez, magistrate and president⁣ of the Political-Administrative Chamber ​of the TSJ, for obstructing the electoral process by expelling the presidential candidacy of María ⁢Corina Machado.
• Juan ‍Carlos ‍Hidalgo Pandares, magistrate and vice-president of the Political-Administrative Chamber of the TSJ, for‌ obstructing the electoral process by‌ disqualifying the presidential candidacy of María ​Corina Machado.
• Caryslia Beatriz Rodríguez Rodríguez, president of the​ TSJ and the Electoral Chamber, for holding the certification of the CNE results that declared Maduro the winner‍ of the presidential elections.
• Fanny ⁣Beatriz Márquez Cordero, vice-president of the TSJ‌ and member of the Electoral‍ Chamber, for ⁢supervising the technical evaluation process of the⁣ evidentiary material‌ presented by the CNE.
• Edward Miguel Briceno Cisneros, special judge of the Court of First Instance with jurisdiction over terrorism, for admitting an‍ arrest ⁤warrant against Edmundo González.
• Luis Ernesto Duenez ⁣Reyes, prosecutor of ⁢the Public Ministry, ⁤for issuing the⁣ official⁢ request for an arrest warrant against⁣ Edmundo González.
• Rosalba Gil ⁣Pacheco, rector of the CNE and president ⁤of ‍the CNE ‍Civil and ⁣Electoral Registry Commission, for establishing a‌ restrictive rule⁣ for the qualification of ⁢electoral observers.
• Antonio José Meneses Rodríguez, general secretary of the CNE, for establishing a restrictive rule for the qualification of electoral prosecutors.
• Dinorah Yoselin Bustamante Puerta, prosecutor in Venezuela’s First Court of Special Letters, for initiating politically motivated criminal cases.
• Pedro José Infante Aparicio, first vice president of the National Assembly, for the Disposal and Theft of CITGO.
• Domingo Antonio Hernández Larez, Strategic Executive Commander of the Bolivarian National ⁣Armed Forces (FANB),⁣ for participating in the increase in ​repression by the military forces.
• Elio⁣ Ramon Estrada Paredes, commander of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), for allowing the GNB to harass and detain Venezuelans on suspicion of⁤ materially supporting Machado and González.
• Johan Alexander Hernández Larez, commander of the REDI Capital of the GNB, for allowing the harassment and detention of ‌alleged opponents.
• Asdrúbal ⁢José Brito Hernández, director of Criminal Investigations of the‍ DGCIM, for coordinating the so-called Operation Tin‍ Tin to ​harass, detain and arrest members of the opposition.
• Miguel Antonio Muñoz Palacios, deputy director of the Service Bolivarian of Intelligence (Sebin), for allowing the security⁣ body to arrest people for political reasons.