U.S. readies Venezuela sanctions, Maduro defies threat

FILE PHOTO: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a ceremony at the National Pantheon in Caracas, Venezuela, July 15, 2017. Miraflores Palace/Handout via REUTERS

WASHINGTON/CARACAS (Reuters) - The Trump administration is preparing sanctions against several senior Venezuelan government figures, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, to pressure President Nicolas Maduro to abort plans for a controversial congress foes say would cement dictatorship.

The punitive measures could come against Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez and Socialist Party No. 2 Diosdado Cabello for alleged rights violations, the U.S. officials told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.