The United States has sanctioned four companies and nine ships carrying Venezuelan oil to Cuba

The US Treasury Department on Friday announced a new set of sanctions against Venezuela, affecting four companies and nine ships, some of which were carrying Venezuelan oil to Cuba.

"We will continue to target companies that transport Venezuelan crude to Cuba, as they profit from the looting of the (Nicolás) Maduro regime on natural resources", Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The sanctions concern three entities in Liberia and one based in Italy. Four of the transport vessels had delivered crude oil to Cuba.

Mnuchin said that "Maduro has confidence in the support it receives from the Cuban army and intelligence services to stay in power because it does not have the support of the people of Venezuela."

Last week, the United States had already sanctioned two companies accused of sending Venezuelan oil to Cuba.

Then, he designated as "blocked property" 34 vessels of the Venezuelan oil company PDVSA, essential for the South American country's economy.

The United States has already imposed punitive measures on more than 80 Venezuelan civil servants and former officials, including Maduro, and nearly 40 entities. In addition, at the end of January, he applied sanctions to PDVSA, which will actually be a Venezuelan oil embargo starting April 28.

The United States and more than 50 countries promote the exit of Maduro, which they consider the re-election as fraudulent, and recognize as a legitimate authority Juan Guaidó, who, as head of the parliament, declared himself president on January 23, in order to lead a transitional government and new elections

Guaidó's delegate to the US government, Carlos Vecchio, said on Twitter that "anyone who intends to collaborate with dictator Maduro will be punished with sanctions and actions".

"They are already feeling the pressure, we will not stop!", He said.