Three stepsons of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro were targeted as part of a new round of sanctions against Venezuela announced by the Trump administration Thursday.
The U.S. Treasury Department has accused Mr. Maduro’s stepsons — Walter, Yosser and Yoswal — of participating in a scheme that stole hundreds of millions of dollars in food imports in a country that suffers from massive hunger and consumer goods shortages.
The network was allegedly run by Alex Saab, a Colombian national who the Treasury Department claims has exploited his ties to Maduro regime insiders by paying bribes and kickbacks.
“Alex Saab engaged with Maduro insiders to run a widescale corruption network they callously used to exploit Venezuela’s starving population,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. “They use food as a form of social control, to reward political supporters and punish opponents, all the while pocketing hundreds of millions of dollars through a number of fraudulent schemes.”
The U.S. and governments in Latin America and Europe have imposed increasingly tough sanctions on Venezuela and members of the government, saying Mr. Maduro was fraudulently elected and should step aside in favor of opposition leader Juan Guaido. But hopes that the Caracas regime would collapse quickly in the face of Mr. Gauido’s challenge have faded.
The U.S. has sanctioned more than 100 Venezuelan government officials and insiders who have been accused of corruption, human rights violations and drug trafficking.
Mr. Maduro’s stepsons allegedly received kickbacks and bribes from Mr. Saab in exchange for access to overvalued contracts like the Local Committees for Supply and Production (CLAP). Ten other people were included in the sanctions, including the country’s former minister of foreign trade and international investment.
Thirteen companies were also designated or blocked for being owned or controlled by the individuals who were sanctioned.
— This story was based in part on wire service reports.
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