US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
PRESS STATEMENT
ANTONY J. BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE
JANUARY 10, 2025
Today, Nicolás Maduro held an illegitimate presidential inauguration in Venezuela in a desperate attempt to seize power. The Venezuelan people and the world know the truth: Maduro clearly lost the 2024 presidential election and has no right to claim the presidency. The United States rejects the fraudulent announcement made by the National Electoral Council that Maduro won the presidential election and does not recognize Nicolás Maduro as president of Venezuela. The elected president, Edmundo González Urrutia, must be sworn in and the democratic transition must begin. We remain prepared to support the return to democracy in Venezuela.
In solidarity with the Venezuelan people, the United States Government and our partners around the world are taking action today. The US State Department has increased reward offers of up to $25 million each for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Nicolás Maduro and Maduro’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello. Likewise, the State Department has added a new reward offer of up to $15 million for Maduro’s Defense Minister, Vladimir Padrino López. These three reward offers stem from criminal drug trafficking indictments announced (in English) in March 2020. The State Department is also taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on individuals aligned with Maduro for their role in undermining the electoral process or participate in acts of repression in Venezuela. To date, the State Department has taken steps to impose visa restrictions on nearly 2,000 individuals aligned with Maduro.
At the same time, the US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on eight Maduro-aligned individuals who support Maduro’s illegitimate assertion of authority as well as acts of Maduro’s repression in Venezuela, including members of security forces and figures policies. These designations represent the third segment of measures of this type since the July 28 elections in Venezuela. Including today’s actions, the United States has individually sanctioned 187 individuals currently or formerly aligned with Maduro for repressing and intimidating the democratic opposition in a desperate and illegitimate attempt to seize power by force.
Along with similar actions taken today by partners including Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, the sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department demonstrate a message of solidarity with the Venezuelan people and further boost international efforts to maintain pressure against Maduro. and their representatives.
In a separate action, the United States Department of Homeland Security announced today that Venezuela’s 2023 designation for Temporary Protected Status will be extended by 18 months, based on the serious humanitarian emergency the country continues to face due to to the political and economic crises under the inhumane Maduro regime.
-The United States reiterates our support for the peaceful democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people. The voices of Venezuelans must be heard and their votes respected. We condemn Nicolás Maduro and his representatives for resorting to violence and intimidation against their political opponents and the Venezuelan public. We call for the immediate release of all unjustly detained political prisoners who remain behind bars for simply exercising their rights. Venezuelans must be allowed to peacefully express their political opinions, including through the exercise of the freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression, without fear of reprisals.
Given this, we praise the Venezuelan people for their courage and commitment to democracy. Human rights abuses, repression and denial of due process have not silenced their voices.
The Treasury Department’s actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order 13692. “Blocking of assets and suspension of entry of certain people who contribute to the situation in Venezuela”, as amended. Executive Order 13857 expanded Executive Order 13692’s definition of “Government of Venezuela” to include individuals who have acted or purported to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of the Government of Venezuela, including officials aligned with Maduro. For more information, see the press release (in English) of the Treasury Department.
Each person processed by the Department of Homeland Security for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) goes through a rigorous national security and public safety investigation during the original application process, and again during the re-registration process. If a person is found to pose a threat, they may be detained, expelled, or referred to other federal agencies for investigation or prosecution, as appropriate. People who have been convicted of one felony or two misdemeanors will not be eligible for TPS.
To view the original text, go to: https://www.state.gov/office-of-the-spokesperson/releases/2025/01/condemning-nicolas-maduros-illegitimate-attempt-to-seize-power-in -venezuela-and-announcing-new-actions-against-maduro-and-his-representatives-and-to-support-the-venezuelan-people
This translation is provided as a courtesy and only the original English source should be considered reliable.
