The Trump administration on Friday announced a fresh batch of sanctions targeting extended family members of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro amid an ongoing pressure campaign against the embattled leader.
The Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions on several relatives of Maduro’s nephew, Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, and family members of Panamanian businessman Ramon Carretero.
“Today, Treasury sanctioned individuals who are propping up Nicolás Maduro’s rogue narco-state. We will not allow Venezuela to continue flooding our nation with deadly drugs,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “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 Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions on five family members of Malpica Flores, including his mother, his father, his sister, his wife and his adult daughter. The department had announced sanctions on Malpica Flores last week.
In addition, the administration said it was sanctioning Roberto Carretero Napolitano and Vicente Luis Carretero Napolitano, who are connected to Ramon Carretero. The Panamanian businessman has engaged “extensively” in transactions with the Maduro regime, the Trump administration said.
Trump and his team have taken a slew of actions in recent months that have escalated tensions with Venezuela and with Maduro in particular, including repositioning military assets in the region, striking alleged drug boats in the Caribbean, imposing sanctions and seizing an oil vessel off the coast of Venezuela.
Trump told NBC News in an interview late Thursday that he would not rule out war with Venezuela.