Canada imposes economic sanctions on 5 Venezuelan officials, including the high court president

abcnews.go.com:

Canada has imposed economic sanctions on five Venezuelan officials, including the head of the country’s high court, accusing them of engaging in electoral fraud during the disputed July presidential election

CARACAS, Venezuela — Canada imposed economic sanctions on Tuesday on five Venezuelan officials, including the head of the country’s high court, accusing them of engaging in electoral fraud during the disputed July presidential election.

Both Venezuela’s incumbent President Nicolás Maduro and the political opposition — with its candidate Edmundo González, who is now in exile in Spain, and its leader Maria Corina Machado, who is in hiding in Venezuela — claim to have won the July 28 vote.

Tuesday's announcement from Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly marked the fourth time Canada has sanctioned individuals linked to Maduro's government.

Maduro’s government swiftly denounced the sanctions as “extortionate measures” and “a failed attempt to pressure Venezuela.”

The development comes less than a month before Venezuela’s next presidential term is set to begin.

Canada's measure seeks to add pressure on Venezuela’s de facto authorities to «respect the will of the Venezuelan people,” according to the statement from the ministry of foreign affairs.

“The sanctions also aim to dissuade the authorities from taking further actions that violate the human rights of protesters, journalists, opposition leaders and other members of civil society,” the ministry said.

In addition to Caryslia Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice, those sanctioned include two judges, a prosecutor and a member of the country’s electoral body.

Venezuela’s protracted political crisis deepened after the highly