President Obama has declared Venezuela a threat to national security and slapped seven top officials with sanctions amid the worst diplomatic flare-up of the past two years. The sanctions target leaders of security forces involved in violence last year, which left dozens of people dead from both sides of Venezuela’s political divide. The White House said it was targeting human rights abuses and corruption, not Venezuela’s rich oil sector. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki discussed the move.

Jen Psaki: “So, really, this is an implementation of what we’ve been working on for months, which is cracking down on those who are violating human rights and, you know, abusers and those who are cracking down on civil society. And we announced also a couple of individuals who will be named in the first tranche of this today.”

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro denounced the sanctions as a further bid to undermine his government. Maduro has ordered the United States to slash embassy staff, and barred entry to Venezuela to former President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and several members of Congress, including New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, who is now said to be facing corruption charges of his own. Menendez reportedly lobbied federal Medicare officials on behalf of a wealthy doctor, Salomon Melgen, who provided him with gifts and luxury vacations.