U.S. puts sanctions on Venezuelan President Maduro's son

June 28 (UPI) -- The U.S. Treasury targeted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's son, Nicolas Ernesto Maduro Guerra, with fresh sanctions Friday.

The United States sanctioned Maduro Guerra, known as "Nicolasito," as a member of Venezuela's pro-regime National Constituent Assembly, which was elected in 2017 and charged with the task of drafting a new Constitution.

The Trump administration has labeled the Maduro regime illegitimate and recognizes National Assembly leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela. More than 50 other countries also recognize Guaido as the legitimate leader.

U.S. officials accuse the National Constituent Assembly of being created through undemocratic processes and of attempting to dissolve state institutions.

"Maduro's regime was built on fraudulent elections, and his inner circle lives in luxury off the proceeds of corruption while the Venezuelan people suffer," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. "Maduro relies on his son Nicolasito and others close to his authoritarian regime to maintain a stranglehold on the economy and suppress the people of Venezuela.

"Treasury will continue to target complicit relatives of illegitimate regime insiders profiting off of Maduro's corruption."

The administration has sanctioned more than 150 officials in the Maduro regime, including first lady Cilia Flores, and a number of institutions, including the state-owned oil company PDVSA.