WASHINGTON — The Biden administration sanctioned a raft of Venezuelan judges, election officials and other allies of Nicolás Maduro on Thursday for their role in suppressing the presidential election results last month.

Most of the 16 individuals targeted for U.S. sanctions and visa restrictions, issued by the Treasury and State departments, occupy senior roles in Venezuela’s National Electoral Council — which falsely declared that Maduro had won the election — and the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, which ruled that the electoral council’s actions were legitimate. Other individuals include Maduro allies in the national assembly.

In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. sanctions were intended “to promote accountability for Nicolás Maduro and his representatives for obstructing a competitive and inclusive presidential election in Venezuela and abusing the human rights of the Venezuelan people.”

“Rather than respecting the will of the Venezuelan people as expressed at the ballot box, Maduro and his representatives have falsely claimed victory while repressing and intimidating the democratic opposition in an illegitimate attempt to cling to power by force,” Blinken said.

Maduro himself has been under Treasury Department sanctions since 2017.

Thursday’s sanctions will block designated individuals from accessing any property, interests in property, or entities that are wholly or partially owned by the designees that are in the United States or in the possession of U.S. persons, the Treasury Department said.

“Today, the United States is taking decisive action against Maduro and his representatives for their repression of the Venezuelan people and denial of their citizens’ rights to a free and fair election,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo.

“The Treasury Department is targeting key officials involved in Maduro’s fraudulent and illegitimate claims of victory and his brutal crackdown on free expression following the election, as the overwhelming majority of Venezuelans call for change. The Biden-Harris Administration will continue to use our tools to hold Maduro and his cronies accountable and support the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people,” Adeyemo added.

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