US toughens sanctions against Venezuela

With Maduro's rise to the presidency of Venezuela, pressure from the White House intensifies. On the first major front, there is a tightening of sanctions imposed by the United States. Since 2015, the U.S. has imposed sanctions on Venezuelan officials for human rights violations. In 2017, as part of their policy, the U.S. actions led to Venezuela's exclusion from global financial markets and banned the country's central bank from using dollars. Financial sanctions also target key state companies, primarily the oil giant PDVSA. This marked the beginning of an economic war, which analysts believe could bring Venezuela to the brink.

Context

The U.S. first imposed sanctions on Venezuelan officials in 2015, and in 2017 expanded these measures to include blocking access to international financial markets, restrictions on central bank operations, and financial limitations for key state companies.