The Trump administration on Monday imposed sanctions on a Chinese company, alleging that it was supporting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in undermining the country’s democracy, including restricting internet access and conducting digital surveillance of the regime’s political opponents.
The U.S. says the company, China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation (CEIEC), is facing financial penalties after providing software and services to government entities, including Venezuela’s state-run telecommunications provider that controls 70 percent of the country’s internet service.
“The illegitimate Maduro regime’s reliance on entities like CEIEC to advance its authoritarian agenda further illustrates the regime’s prioritization of power over democratic values and processes,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.