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                 US Places Sanctions on 7 Venezuelan Officials

   by VOA News

   U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered new sanctions against seven
   senior Venezuelan officials who the United States says violated human
   rights and engaged in public acts of corruption.

   Targets in the executive order, announced Monday, include the head of
   the country's intelligence service as well as the director of the
   national police.

   "We are deeply concerned by the Venezuelan government's efforts to
   escalate intimidation of its political opponents. Venezuela's problems
   cannot be solved by criminalizing dissent,'' the White House said in a
   statement.

   The statement called on the government to release all political
   prisoners, including dozens of students, opposition leader Leopoldo
   Lopez , and mayors Daniel Ceballos, of San Cristobal, and Antonio
   Ledezma, of Caracas.

   The executive order comes as tensions between the two nations
   intensify. Last week, Caracas ordered Washington to reduce the number
   of officials at the U.S. embassy from 100 to 17, and it imposed visa
   requirements for American tourists.

   Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro often criticizes the United States
   for what he says is meddling in his country's affairs. The two
   countries have not exchanged ambassadors since 2010.



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   fficials/2673340.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-places-sanctions-on-7-venezuelan-officials/2673340.html