The United States slapped economic sanctions Wednesday on eight Venezuelan politicians linked to the creation of a controversial new assembly loyal to President Nicolas Maduro, including a brother of former president Hugo Chavez. Washington said the new Constituent Assembly, which was sworn in on August 4, was created "through an undemocratic process instigated by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government to subvert the will of the Venezuelan people."
Those on the list included key members of the presidential commission for the assembly, including Adan Chavez, secretary of the commission and a brother of the former president. Also on the list was Bladimir Humberto Lugo Armas, a National Guard commander whom the Treasury said was involved in an assault on the president of the national assembly, Julio Borges.