"You sort of have to wonder: Why is that happening? How is that possible? Hopefully that will change and they can use those assets for the good. One was the approval of Maduro plastic injection molding equipment budget and his appointment of two government sympathizers to the National Electoral Council, decisions that are supposed to require National Assembly approval. Because right now whats happening is really a disgrace to humanity," Trump said after meeting # at the White House with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.In the western city of Maracaibo, a 25-year-old was killed when he was crushed by a truck during a protest, the chief prosecutors office said.Earlier Thursday, Trump expressed dismay about Venezuelas troubles, asking aloud how a nation sitting atop the worlds largest oil reserves could be stricken by so much poverty and unrest..The new sanctions come as Maduro is facing increasing pressure at home and abroad to hold elections."The Venezuelan people are suffering from a collapsing economy brought about by their governments mismanagement and corruption.Venezuelan government officials dispute the notion that the countrys justice system is politicized. Members of the countrys Supreme Court of Justice have exacerbated the situation by consistently interfering with the legislative branchs authority," US Treasury Secretary Steven T." She said that the executive order was one more example of US attempts to interfere and destabilize Maduros government and that the president strongly backs the Supreme Court magistrates who are "victims of US imperial power.

"By imposing these targeted sanctions, the United States is supporting the Venezuelan people in their efforts to protect and advance democratic governance in their country.The ruling was later partially reversed amid a backlash of international criticism, but it sparked a protest movement that has continued for nearly two months and on Thursday claimed another victim, bringing the death toll to 45.Moreno, while not directly involved in those decisions, has defended them and from the bench also upheld a nearly 14-year sentence for opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez a day after Trump called for his release at a White House meeting with his wife. Local media said he was a medical student belonging to the so-called "Green Cross," a group of volunteer first- responders that is a fixture at opposition marches Maduro has vowed to resolve his nations crisis by convoking a special assembly to rewrite Venezuelas constitution. Mnuchin said.In issuing its sanctions ruling, the US Treasury Department cited several court rulings since the opposition gained control of congress. Maduro has said he had no prior knowledge of the Supreme Court ruling against congress in March, pointing to the objections raised by Venezuelas chief prosecutor as proof the countrys institutions operate independently.

"Venezuelas Supreme Court has long been filled with government loyalists.Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez took to Twitter late Thursday to call the US sanctions "outrageous and unacceptable.Those blacklisted by the Treasury Department include Maikel Moreno, the president of the government-packed Supreme Court, as well as all seven justices who signed a ruling in late March stripping the opposition-controlled congress of its last remaining powers.Another was a ruling a year ago declaring null all acts of the National Assembly issued while it remains in contempt of an earlier ruling requiring the congress to unseat three elected lawmakers over still-unproven allegations of voting fraud. On Thursday, several thousand demonstrators once again collapsed Caracas and other cities in protests that ended in clashes with security forces firing tear gas and rubber bullets. More than 2,000 people have been detained and hundreds injured during almost daily protests.

The opposition rejects that plan as another attempt by the president to tighten his grip on power, and opposition leaders are calling on Venezuelans to continue to take to the streets in protest.Bogota (Colombia): The US on Thursday slapped new sanctions on eight members of Venezuelas Supreme Court, accusing them of abusing power and damaging their nations democratic fabric as the Trump administration raises concerns that socialist President Nicolas Maduro is moving toward one-party, authoritarian rule. The courts constitutional chamber declared null and void eight National Assembly laws between January and October 2016, after just one such ruling in the previous 200 years, legal experts say."The action marked the second time the Trump administration has stripped high-level Venezuelan officials of their US assets and banned Americans from any business dealings with them. In February, the US ordered sanctions against Vice President Tareck El Aissami, accusing him of playing a major role in international drug trafficking.