U.S. ups financial pressure on Maduro

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Nicolás Maduro (center) with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel (left) and Socialist Party President Diosdado Cabello in Caracas, Venezuela, in July Associated Press/Photo by Ariana Cubillos

Eight months have passed since Juan Guaidó declared himself interim president of Venezuela, but Nicolás Maduro will not step down from office. The Trump administration froze all of the Venezuelan government’s assets in the United States on Monday and banned Americans from doing business with Maduro or any of his top allies. The order cited Maduro’s “continued usurpation of power” and human rights abuses by security forces loyal to him.

Are there any signs of change? The United States and 50 other countries have recognized Guaidó’s presidency, but Maduro—and the country’s economic crisis—has not wavered. More than 4 million people have fled the socialist country due to poverty and food shortages.

Dig deeper: Read Marvin Olasky’s report on refugees who fled the Venezuelan crisis.

Onize Ohikere

Onize is WORLD’s Africa reporter and deputy global desk chief. She is a World Journalism Institute graduate and earned a journalism degree from Minnesota State University–Moorhead. Onize resides in Abuja, Nigeria.

@onize_ohiks