US Sanctions Venezuelan Airline President and Officials

The U.S. government has imposed new economic sanctions on eight Venezuelan officials, including the president of the state-owned airline Conviasa, Ramon Celestino Velasquez Araguayan, as part of efforts to undermine President Nicolas Maduro's government, which is deemed illegitimate by Washington. The sanctions coincide with Maduro's swearing-in for a third term, following elections that the U.S. and several other nations claim were fraudulent. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that the sanctions target individuals who support Maduro's repressive actions against democracy in Venezuela. Among those sanctioned are high-ranking officials from the military and police, as well as leaders from the state-owned oil company PDVSA. The U.S. Treasury Department, alongside allies like the U.K. and Canada, seeks to express solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their desire for new leadership. Maduro's government has dismissed these sanctions as part of an 'economic war' against Venezuela.