Thousands of Venezuelans gathered Thursday to speak out against the regime of President Nicolas Maduro, as he prepares for national vote next week.

A few hours after Wednesday in Venezuela there was a national strike, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that it will impose sanctions against 13 officials of the Venezuelan government. "As clearly stated by President trump, the United States will not ignore the ongoing efforts of the Maduro regime to undermine democracy, freedom and the rule of law", - reads the statement of the Minister of Finance of the USA Stephen Mnuchin.

"Sanctions ahead of a scheduled 30 July 2017 elections organized by the President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro of the National constituent Assembly, which will have the right to rewrite the Venezuelan Constitution and can decide on the dissolution of the Venezuelan state institutions." Throughout Venezuela, critics of Maduro launched a 48-hour strike on Wednesday morning, regretting the fact that their President may have more powers.

The aim of the protesters to abandon their plans to restructure the country's Constitution, said the opposition leaders at a press conference. But Maduro said that the restructuring of the Constitution is necessary to restore order, apply justice and peace in Venezuela.

Political upheaval began in late March when the Supreme court of Venezuela dissolved the Parliament and transferred all legislative powers to itself. The opposition argued that Maduro is creating a dictatorship. Despite the fact that the decision was reversed 3 days later, it triggered a series of bloody street protests that lasted for several months. As of Wednesday, 105 people were killed in political unrest in Venezuela since April, said the attorney General.
sections: Politics, World News, Accidents