Trump ramps up pressure on Maduro with sanctions on family members

The Trump administration has issued new sanctions targeting Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, targeting six members of his family and two government officials as President Trump escalates his campaign to remove the South American socialist dictator from power.

The action Friday comes after Mr. Trump designated the Venezuelan government a “terrorist organization” and ordered a “complete and total” blockade of sanctioned oil tankers moving in and out of the country.

In the latest round of sanctions, the Treasury Department is imposing penalties on relatives of Mr. Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, including her nephew, Malpica Flores. Mr. Flores has been tied to corruption at Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA, the White House alleges.

On Friday, the Treasury Department also sanctioned Mr. Flores’ parents, Elosia Flores de Malpica, who is also the sister of the Venezuelan first lady, and Carlos Evelio Malpica Torreabla. Also sanctioned are Mr. Flores’ sister, Damaris del Carmen Hurtado Perez, his wife Erica Patrica Malpica Hurtado, and his adult daughter.

The Treasury Department also sanctioned government officials Roberto Carretero Napolitano and Vincente Luis Carretero Napolitano, whom the White House said “transacted extensively” with the Maduro regime, including Mr. Flores’ family.

The White House said the sanctioned individuals engaged in a series of transactions involving deceptive practices to steal funds from the government of Venezuela.

“Today, Treasury sanctioned individuals who are propping up Nicolas Maduro’s rogue narco-state. We will not allow Venezuela to continue flooding our nation with deadly drugs,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. “Maduro and his criminal accomplices threaten our hemisphere’s peace and stability. The Trump administration will continue targeting the networks that prop up his illegitimate dictatorship.”

The sanctions will deny them access to any property or financial assets held in the U.S., and the penalties are intended to prevent U.S. companies and citizens from doing business with them.

Banks and financial institutions that violate that restriction expose themselves to sanctions or enforcement actions.

The Trump administration has been steadily building up a military presence in the region, raising concerns about whether the president intends to engage in a military conflict with Venezuela.

Since September, the U.S. has carried out more than 20 strikes against alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the waters near Venezuela and Colombia, killing nearly 100 people.

The U.S. has also deployed the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, increasing the number of U.S. military forces in the region to a level not seen in decades.

In addition, Mr. Trump has dispatched 11 warships, scores of airplanes and thousands of troops to the region.

U.S. fighter jets buzzed the Venezuelan coastline last week, the closest the military has come to breaching the nation’s territory.