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The United States has announced new sanctions targeting family members and close associates of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, tensions between the United States and Venezuela have escalated as the Trump administration intensifies pressure on Nicolás Maduro to relinquish power. What began as an anti-narcotics operation has openly shifted into a strategic campaign centered on Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, with Trump and senior officials now acknowledging the goal of regime change. Trump reportedly offered Maduro safe passage out of the country a month ago (a proposal Maduro rejected). In recent weeks, the US has increased its military presence in the region, deployed additional naval assets, and seized sanctioned cargo vessels attempting to transport Venezuelan oil, actions viewed by Washington as part of a broader economic and political squeeze to undermine Maduro’s grip on power.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, the United States Treasury confirmed new sanctions targeting immediate family members of Maduro. These sanctions include the nephew of Maduro’s wife, Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, who was previously sanctioned for his alleged role in widespread corruption at Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA. The latest designations extend to Malpica Flores’ close relatives including his mother, father, sister, wife, and adult daughter, all of whom the US government accuses of facilitating or benefiting from financial operations tied to Maduro’s regime.
The sanctions also target two relatives of Panamanian businessman Ramon Carretero Napolitano, who is accused of conducting extensive corrupt business dealings with the Maduro regime and the Malpica Flores family.
The US Treasury stated that these actions are aimed at dismantling what they describe as the “narco-corruption infrastructure” sustaining Maduro’s rule. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called the Venezuelan government a “rogue narco-state” and said the individuals targeted are actively supporting an illegitimate dictatorship through corruption and financial deception.
