US imposes visa restrictions against Venezuelan individuals

The United States has imposed new visa restrictions against Venezuelan individuals over human rights abuses and corruption, the State Department said on Monday.

The U.S. has levied the sanction on current and former Venezuelan officials believed to be involved in human rights abuses and individuals considered to be responsible for corruption, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.

The move also bans the immediate family members of those individuals subject to visa restrictions from entering the United States.

"We are sending a clear message that human rights abusers, those who profit from public corruption, and their families are not welcome in the United States," Psaki said, adding that individuals will not be publicly identified because of U.S. laws.

On Sunday, Venezuelan head of state Nicolas Maduro accused U.S. Vice President Joe Biden of heading a "bloody" plan to overthrow his government, which he said was announced to presidents and prime ministers of Caribbean countries.

"The imperial power has entered a dangerous phase of desperation and has been talking to governments of the continent to announce they'll topple my government," he said. "I accuse U.S. Vice President Joe Biden who personally spoke with the presidents and prime ministers about the plan."

At Monday's press briefing, Psaki dismissed the allegations as "baseless and false," adding that such accusations distract from Venezuela's own actions by blaming the U.S. or other countries for events inside Venezuela.

"The Venezuelan government should focus on the legitimate grievances of its people, which include repeated violations of the freedom of speech and assembly, as well as due process under the law," she said.

In December last year, the U.S. Congress passed a bill that would levy sanctions against some Venezuelan officials who it accused of directing "significant acts of violence or serious human rights abuses" against protesters during anti-government demonstrations earlier that year. The protests resulted in more than 43 people dead and over 800 injured.

Washington and Caracas have had a tense relation since late president Hugo Chavez took power in 1999 and since 2010 both nations have not exchanged ambassadors.

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