WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Friday announced new sanctions on several more family members and associates of the Maduro-Flores family who are alleged to be supporting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's rule.

"Today, Treasury sanctioned individuals who are propping up Nicolás Maduro's rogue narco-state. We will not allow Venezuela to continue flooding our nation with deadly drugs," said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a statement.

"This action further targets the narco-corruption structure that sustains Nicolás Maduro's illegitimate regime, namely the familial networks of Carlos Erik Malpica Flores (Malpica Flores) and Ramon Carretero Napolitano (Ramon Carretero)," said the statement. Malpica Flores and Ramon Carretero were sanctioned on Dec. 11.

Bessent said the Trump administration will continue targeting the networks supporting Maduro's rule.

For almost four months, the United States has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, much of it off Venezuela's coast, purportedly to combat drug trafficking -- a claim Venezuela has denounced as a thinly veiled attempt to bring about regime change in Caracas.

The Pentagon has sunk more than 28 alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean since early September, killing at least 104 people aboard.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he does not rule out the possibility of a war with Venezuela.

Critics, including bipartisan lawmakers in the U.S. Capitol, have questioned whether counternarcotics is indeed the only U.S. motive and the legality of the U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean for months. ■