Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will reward 21 of his government officials and members of his security apparatus who were sanctioned by US authorities this Wednesday for their participation in the crime. “election fraud” and in actionsrepressiveadopted after the July 28 elections.

“I have given instructions to create in the coming days an award, the highest award of the Republic, which will bear the name Victory for Ayacuchoand I am going to present an award to each of these people, of these beings who were attacked today,” the president said during a public event.

Maduro defended those sanctioned as “a group of outstanding people” and called the Treasury Department’s measures “attack“.

“If the problem of attacks through so-called sanctions were not so serious, I would say that what they did was simply ridiculous. I would dare to say that they are funny and that we are laughing at their sanctions, but I am not going to do this, although this is precisely the reason,” the president said.

US authorities have introduced a new round of sanctions against 21 people for their involvement in “election fraud” and “repressive” actions taken after the July 28 elections.

The list includes Daniella Desiree Cabello Contrerasdaughter of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Venezuela.

The Treasury Department said they were all sanctioned because they maintain ties to authorities in the Caribbean country and “support and facilitate Maduro’s orders to suppress civil society in his efforts to declare themselves the winners of the Venezuelan fraud.” elections.” (Europe Press).