Venezuelan president mocks new U.S. sanctions

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro defiantly thanked President Donald Trump on Wednesday after the United States imposed sanctions on officials in the socialist regime. He compared the sanctions to “being awarded a medal” in a televised statement. Sanctioned officials include first lady and former Attorney General Cilia Flores, Executive Vice President Delcy Eloina Rodriguez Gomez, and the ministers of communication and defense. Maduro criticized his wife’s inclusion in the list. “Do attack me but let Cilia alone,” he said. “Don’t be cowards.”

The United States previously imposed similar sanctions and froze assets belonging to the country’s president over allegations of corruption and abuses. In a statement, the U.S. State Department said the sanctions are not permanent, provided the officials “take concrete and meaningful actions to restore democratic order, refuse to take part in human rights abuses and speak out against abuses committed by the government, and combat corruption in Venezuela.”