Sanctions Expanded Against Venezuela Following Maduro Inauguration

Venezuela has condemned new sanctions imposed by the U.S., Britain, and the European Union coinciding with President Nicolas Maduro's inauguration for a third term. The U.S. increased its reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest from $15 million to $25 million and sanctioned eight additional Venezuelan officials for their roles in the regime's repression and erosion of democracy. The European Union extended its sanctions for another year, targeting 15 more individuals, including those from the National Electoral Council and security forces, bringing the total to 69 sanctioned individuals. Maduro's government has rejected these sanctions as illegitimate, calling them an economic war against Venezuela. The opposition claims that the election results favoring Maduro were manipulated, asserting that the true victor was Edmundo Gonzalez. Despite the sanctions, Maduro's administration maintains that the country has shown resilience against external pressures.