Trump mounts pressure on Maduro to step down, freezes all Venezuelan-owned assets

The President of the United States of America has moved to mount pressure on President Nicola Maduro to step down from power by freezing all assets owned by the Venezuelan government.

Reports say the frozen assets relates to the ones domiciled in the US and it is expected to sharply escalate an economic and diplomatic pressure campaign aimed at removing Maduro from power.

“All property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela that are in the United States … are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in,” according to the executive order released by the White House.

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Trump said in a letter to Congress the freezing of assets was necessary “in light of the continued usurpation of power by the illegitimate Nicolas Maduro regime, as well as the regime’s human rights abuses, arbitrary arrest and detention of Venezuelan citizens, curtailment of free press, and ongoing attempts to undermine Interim President Juan Guaido.”

Recall that the US and most Western nations have called for Maduro to step down and have recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s legitimate president.

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