US sanctions 8 more Venezuelan officials, including Chavez brother

Miraflores Palace via Reuters

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a meeting with members of the Constituent Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela August 2, 2017.

The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on eight more Venezuelan officials, including the brother of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, to punish them for their roles in President Nicolas Maduro’s creation of a new legislative superbody, U.S. officials said.

The new measures announced by the U.S. Treasury Department will freeze the U.S. assets of the targeted individuals, ban them from travel to the United States and prohibit Americans from doing business with them.

Washington slapped sanctions on Maduro himself last week following similar action against 13 Venezuelan officials on July 26.