The U.S. government is considering imposing additional sanctions on individuals in Venezuela and potentially revoking licenses for oil companies operating in the country following a disputed election, a senior official revealed on Friday.
Brian Nichols, U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, made these statements during a webcast briefing with reporters.
"The use of individual sanctions or revoking licenses related to sectoral sanctions is under close study," Nichols said in response to questions about imposing new visa restrictions on individuals or terminating oil licenses.
Nichols also mentioned that the U.S. government will collaborate "with our friends and allies who share similar concerns about this issue."
These discussions have emerged almost two months after the controversial July 28 election in Venezuela.
While electoral officials and the country's top court have declared President Nicolas Maduro as the winner with 52% of the vote, they have not disclosed local vote tallies as promised.
Following the election, the opposition released scanned copies of thousands of voting machine receipts on a website, claiming a clear victory for their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez.
### Analysis:
The U.S. government is contemplating imposing sanctions on Venezuela and potentially revoking oil licenses in response to a disputed election in the country. The decision could have significant implications for individuals and oil companies operating in Venezuela. It is important to monitor further developments and how they may impact the political and economic landscape in the region.