Trump administration sanctions firm, alleging it helped fraudulent election in Venezuela

The Trump administration on Friday sanctioned a Venezuelan biometric firm, alleging it helped the country's strongarm leader Nicolas Maduro carry out fraudulent parliamentary elections earlier this month.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took the actions against Ex-Cle Soluciones Biometricas C.A., alleging it and two individuals provided material support in the form of goods and services to assist the Maduro regime in hijacking the Dec. 6 elections.  

OFAC designated Guillermo Carlos San Agustin and Marcos Javier Machado Requena for having acted for or on behalf of Ex-Cle Soluciones Biometricas C.A.

“The illegitimate Maduro regime’s efforts to steal elections in Venezuela show its disregard for the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. “The United States remains committed to targeting the Maduro regime and those who support its aim to deny the Venezuelan people their right to free and fair elections.”

The Treasury Department alleged Ex-Cle Soluciones Biometricas C.A assisted Maduro's election commission "in purchasing thousands of voting machines from foreign vendors, which were transshipped through Tehran, Iran, via Mahan Air and Conviasa, both previously sanctioned by OFAC."