Trump expands sanctions on Venezuela

Washington: US President Donald Trump issued an executive order freezing all assets in the US belonging to the Venezuelan government.

"All property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela that are in the United States ... are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in," the executive order said.

The US has implemented a number of sanctions against the government of Venezuela's leader Nicholas Maduro.

The Trump administration recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president on January 23, days after Maduro was inaugurated for a second term.