Sanctions relief ended after opposition leader blocked from Venezuelan election

Opposition coalition presidential hopeful Maria Corina Machado gives a press conference outside her campaign headquarters in Caracas, Venezuela, on Monday (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

The US has pulled back part of the sanctions relief it granted Venezuela last year after the South American country’s highest court blocked the presidential candidacy of an opposition leader.

The Department of the Treasury gave companies transacting with Venezuela’s state-owned mining company until February 13 to wind down operations having allowed transactions in October after President Nicolas Maduro’s government agreed to level the playing field ahead of this year’s presidential election.