Trump issues warning to Maduro as Venezuelan leader enters third term, US expands sanctions
President-elect Donald Trump has issued a warning ahead of the inauguration of contested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has taken up the top job for a third term. Despite significant opposition both at home and abroad to the July election in which Maduro claimed victory without providing ballot-box proof, the Venezuelan leader, deemed a “dictator” by American lawmakers, is now set to hold office until 2031.
On Thursday, opposition leader María Corina Machado emerged from months of hiding to join hundreds of anti-Maduro protesters in the capital city of Caracas and demand that opposition candidate Edmundo González be sworn in instead. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro banned the social network X from Venezuela for 10 days after accusing it of being used by his opponents to create unrest after the election.
Machado was briefly detained by government security forces after they “violently intercepted” her convoy as she attempted to leave the protests. President-elect Donald Trump took to social media to demand she remain “safe and alive.” The opposition figure was apparently forced to record several videos before she was released, though the details of those recordings remain unclear.
On Friday, the Biden administration backed the efforts by the opposition leaders and, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, “President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia should be sworn in, and the democratic transition should begin.” The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Friday slapped a new round of sanctions on the Maduro regime, targeting officials who lead key economic and security agencies enabling Nicolás Maduro’s repression and subversion of democracy in Venezuela.
In addition, OFAC is sanctioning high-level Venezuelan officials in the military and police who lead entities with roles in carrying out Maduro’s repression and human rights abuses against democratic actors. Maduro was also once again targeted by Washington’s sanctions, and the reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction was increased to $25 million. The same amount was offered up for the Venezuelan Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, along with a $15 million reward for Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino.
Members of the military and police were also named in the sanctions. Blinken confirmed on Friday that some 2,000 Maduro-aligned individuals have had visa-restrictions imposed on them. The Biden administration stands ready to support a return to democracy in Venezuela and continues to reject the National Electoral Council’s fraudulent announcement that Maduro won the presidential election and does not recognize Nicolás Maduro as the president of Venezuela. Join Fox News for access to this content plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge. By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. Please enter a valid email address.
