WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department said on Thursday that the United States will not recognize Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly (ANC) tasked to amend the Constitution.
"We are evaluating all our policy options (as) to what we can do to create a change of conditions, where either (Venezuelan President Nicolas) Maduro decides he does not have a future and wants to leave on his own accord, or we can return the government processes back to the constitution," the department said in a statement.
The United States on Monday slapped economic sanctions on Maduro, just one day after Venezuela held elections for the ANC. "By sanctioning Maduro, the United States makes clear our opposition to the policies of his regime," U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.
Maduro rebuffed U.S. sanctions that targeted him personally, saying he was "proud" to be singled out by the measure.
"They sanction me because I call for an electoral process that is unique in the history of the Americas ... because I don't obey the orders of foreign governments? If that is so, then I feel proud of the proposed sanction," said Maduro.
"The threats and sanctions ... do not intimidate me... I have nothing to fear," Maduro said, adding that the sanctions serve to highlight the impotence, desperation and hatred felt in Washington.
The U.S. Treasury Department, which had slapped sanctions on 13 current or former senior officials of the Venezuelan government aside from Maduro, warned on Monday that anyone who participates in the ANC could be exposed to future U.S. sanctions.
The vote for the ANC on Sunday came at a time of high tensions in Venezuela, with anti-government protests organized by the opposition having led to more than 110 deaths since early April.
