U.S. Slaps Sanctions on Family Members Linked to Maduro Government

(MENAFN) Washington imposed financial penalties Friday on seven individuals connected to relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's inner circle, escalating pressure on what officials characterize as a fraudulent regime.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott announced the designations affect family members tied to Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, Maduro's nephew, and Ramon Carretero Napolitano, a Panamanian entrepreneur whom authorities had already sanctioned for purportedly enabling "deceptive actions or corruption involving the Venezuelan state."

Among those now facing restrictions are Maduro's sister-in-law, several additional Malpica Flores relatives, and two close family members of Carretero, according to the statement.

"Maduro and his cronies have devastated Venezuela's economy and continue to threaten our region's stability," Pigott declared.

The move deepens an already volatile standoff between the two nations. President Donald Trump recently announced a "total and complete blockade" targeting sanctioned petroleum vessels accessing Venezuelan ports.

Confrontation reached a critical point December 10 when American military personnel commandeered a sanctioned tanker operating near Venezuela's coastline—an operation Caracas denounced as "international piracy."

Washington maintains these actions target corruption networks and narcotics operations. Caracas, however, claims American anti-drug initiatives mask ulterior motives: toppling Maduro and seizing Venezuela's petroleum reserves.

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