UK Unveils Fresh Sanctions Against Nicolás Maduro’s Venezuelan Regime

• the United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on 15 additional individuals linked to Nicolás Maduro’s disputed regime today, while denouncing his illegitimate assertion of the presidency
• sanctions target judges, including the head of Venezuela’s highest court, as well as personnel from the security forces and military officials accountable for undermining democracy, the rule of law, and committing human rights abuses
• Foreign Secretary refers to Maduro’s regime as “fraudulent” as the Venezuelan leader is “inaugurated” in Caracas

The Foreign Secretary has labeled Nicolás Maduro’s presidency as “fraudulent” as the Venezuelan leader is formally sworn in during an official ceremony in Caracas today (10 January).

Commemorating the date with a resolute message of support for the Venezuelan populace, the UK has declared a series of new sanctions against 15 individuals, comprising judges and high-ranking officials in Maduro’s administration, indicating the UK’s profound apprehensions regarding the outcomes of Venezuela’s Presidential elections held on 28 July, where independent domestic and international reports noted considerable irregularities and a lack of transparency.

Among those subjected to sanctions is the President of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice – Caryslia Beatriz Rodríguez Rodríguez – who played a role in legitimizing the 28 July election; and the Director of Criminal Investigations at the General Directorate of Military Counter-Intelligence – Asdrubal José Brito Hernández – an agency implicated in severe human rights violations, including perpetrating sexual and gender-based violence, torture, killings, and the arbitrary detention of opposition figures and civil society members.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated: 

Nicolás Maduro’s assertion of authority is fraudulent. The result of July’s election was neither free nor fair, and his regime does not reflect the desires of the Venezuelan people.

Today’s sanctions convey a distinct message. The UK will not remain passive as Maduro persists in oppression, undermines democracy, and commits egregious human rights violations. Political prisoners must be released, and the ongoing repression must cease. We will continue to stand by the people of Venezuela in their struggle for a democratic future.

Providing a basis of security in support of the administration’s Plan for Change, individuals implicated in today’s sanctions will face travel restrictions and asset freezes, barring their entry into the UK and preventing them from maintaining funds or economic assets in the UK.

Similar actions have been undertaken by UK allies including Canada, the US, and the EU, sending a signal of solidarity with the Venezuelan people.

Maduro’s regime has been identified by international entities as culpable of political repression, including arbitrary arrests motivated by politics, and is under investigation for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

Strong evidence exists – including findings by a UN Panel of Experts and the Carter Center – suggesting that the regime’s announced results of July’s presidential election lacked independent or transparent verification, with indications that the opposition candidate garnered a significantly greater number of votes than reported by the incumbent Venezuelan administration. 

Following the election, when protests erupted, over 2,400 demonstrators including minors were apprehended by state forces, and the action was violently suppressed by state authorities, leading to 25 recorded fatalities.

Systemic repression has fostered a culture of fear as fundamental freedoms have been eroded in Venezuela, and today the UK is taking action against several of the architects of this distressing political and humanitarian crisis.

As this government executes our Plan for Change, reinforcing our international partnerships and collaborating with our allies to uphold global security and democratic principles remains integral to our goals to reconnect Britain with the world, working collectively to enhance safety, security, and prosperity at home.

Background

Today the UK has sanctioned:

• Asdrubal José Brito Hernández, Director of Criminal Investigations at the General Directorate of Military Counter-Intelligence
• Calixto Antonio Ortega Ríos, a Judge on the Supreme Tribunal of Justice
• Carlos Enrique Quintero Cuevas, Vice President of the National Electoral Council 
• Caryslia Beatriz Rodríguez Rodríguez, President of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice
• Domingo Antonio Hernández Lárez, Commander in Chief of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, and Commander of the Capital Strategic Integral Defence Region
• Elio Ramon Estrada Paredes, Commander of the Bolivarian National Guard
• Fanny Beatriz Márquez Cordero, Vice President of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice
• Inocencio Antonio Figueroa Arizaleta, a Judge on the Supreme Tribunal of Justice
• Juan Carlos Hidalgo Pandares, a Judge on the Supreme Tribunal of Justice
• Lourdes Benicia Suárez Anderson, a Judge on the Supreme Tribunal of Justice
• Luis Fernando Damiani Bustillos, a Judge on the Supreme Tribunal of Justice
• Malaquias Gil Rodríguez, a Judge on the Supreme Tribunal of Justice
• Miguel Antonio Muñoz Palacios, Deputy Director of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service
• Rosalba Gil Pacheco, Principal Rector of the National Electoral Council
• Tania d’Amelio Cardiet, a Judge on the Supreme Tribunal of Justice

This initiative builds upon existing UK sanctions directed at the Maduro regime as part of the UK’s sanctions framework relating to Venezuela.