Corruption in Venezuela

The United States hit Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with direct sanctions on July 31 over a disputed and deadly weekend vote, calling him a "dictator," while the leader refused to heed what he slammed as "imperial orders."

Energized by a massive vote against President Nicolas Maduro in an unofficial plebiscite, Venezuela's opposition mulled on July 17 how to escalate protests and block a new congress it fears may enshrine Socialist Party hegemony.

The United States and Venezuela, which have had highly strained relations for more than a decade, held a "positive" diplomatic meeting over the weekend in Haiti, the State Department said June 15.