US orders immediate freeze of Venezuela government assets in dramatic escalation of tensions; stops short of an outright trade embargo.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration froze all Venezuelan government assets in a dramatic escalation of tensions with Nicolás Maduro that places his socialist administration alongside a short list of adversaries from Cuba, North Korea, Syria and Iran that have been targeted by such aggressive U.S. actions.
"The apparent goal is to give the U.S. the ability to apply the law beyond its borders to allies of Maduro like China, Russia, Cuba, Iran and Turkey," said Russ Dallen, the Miami-based head of Caracas Capital Markets brokerage."Should those foreign entities continue doing business with Maduro they can have their U.S. assets seized."
Russia, which has staunchly backed Maduro, denounced the U.S. action. Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the Russian upper house's international affairs committee, said Tuesday the move amounts to"international banditry." He added in remarks carried by the state RIA Novosti news agency that it represents an"open meddling into Venezuela's internal affairs."
More than 100 officials and government insiders also have had their U.S. assets frozen and blocked from doing business with Americans. As part of the executive order, Americans or U.S. companies that do business with such individuals face penalties. The same Maduro supporters will also be banned from entering the U.S.
"Any individual, company, institution or nation that tries to do business with the regime will be seen by the international justice system as collaborating with and sustaining a dictatorship," Guaidó said in a series of late-night Tweets."They will be subject to sanctions and considered an accomplice to crimes."
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump freezes all Venezuelan government assets in bid to pressure Nicolas MaduroThe scope of the announcement came as a surprise even to some Trump administration allies: 'This is big.'
Read more »
Trump freezes Venezuela gov't assets in escalationWASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has frozen all Venezuelan government assets in a dramatic escalation of tensions with socialist leader Nicolás Maduro, who has stubbornly clung to power...
Read more »
Trump announces total economic embargo against VenezuelaPresident Donald Trump on Monday announced the US would expand its existing sanctions against Venezuela with an executive order to impose a total economic embargo against the country.
Read more »
Trump freezes Venezuela gov't assets in escalationTrump administration freezes all Venezuelan government assets in dramatic escalation of tensions with Nicolás Maduro.
Read more »