US slaps new sanctions on Venezuela officials as Maduro inaugurated

The United States on Friday imposed new sanctions on eight Venezuelan officials and increased the reward for the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro on the day of his inauguration to a third term following a disputed election last year.

It was the latest in a series of punitive steps by the outgoing Biden administration against Maduro's government in aftermath of the July vote, which both his ruling Socialist party and the OPEC nation's opposition claim to have won.

The new officials sanctioned include the recently appointed head of Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA, Hector Obregon, and Venezuela's transportation minister, Ramon Velasquez.

Maduro and his aides have always rejected sanctions by the U.S. and others, saying they are illegitimate measures that amount to an "economic war" designed to cripple Venezuela. He and his allies have cheered what they say is the country's resilience despite the measures, though they have historically blamed some economic hardships and shortages on sanctions.