Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro responded to the sanctions imposed on him by the US government after the elections to the Constitutional Assembly.

The sanctions were imposed a day after Maduro announced a sweeping victory in the vote that will allow him to further strengthen his power over a country torn by crisis. Most of the world and many citizens of Venezuela called the vote an attack on democracy.

"Yesterday's illegal elections confirm that Maduro is a dictator who ignores the will of the Venezuelan people," said Finance Minister Steven Mnuchin in the statement, which reported on the latest sanctions in a Latin American country.

Starting Monday all of the assets of the President of Venezuela, subject to US jurisdiction were frozen. It is unclear what assets Maduro in the United States, Mnuchin refused to provide reporters with additional information during a briefing of the White house on Monday afternoon.

Maduro is one of the few heads of state that should be sanctioned by the U.S. government. He follows in the footsteps of President Bashar al-Assad, the Supreme leader of North Korea Kim Jong-UN, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, former President of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic and Manuel Noriega who was the military dictator of Panama.

Trump's decision to sanction Maduro is not as serious as broader economic sanctions against Venezuela's oil. Oil is the main source of income of Venezuela. Senior administration officials hinted Sunday that may appear wider sanctions. However, Mnuchin declined to comment Monday about whether the United States is considering new sanctions.
sections: Politics, World News, Accidents