WASHINGTON — The Trump administration targeted 10 current or former Venezuelan officials with sanctions Thursday, accusing them of being part of a campaign to undermine local elections, censor the press and engage in other corrupt activities.

The sanctions represent an ongoing effort by U.S. officials to put pressure on the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which it has called an "illegitimate dictatorship" since changing the constitution to consolidate his hold on power.

The latest round of sanctions — the fifth so far this year — follows the Oct. 15 state elections, which the U.S. says were "marked by numerous irregularities that strongly suggest fraud helped the ruling party unexpectedly win a majority of governorships."

The U.S. is also blocking the assets of key Venezuelan officials accused of corruption in a state-run food aid program.

“As the Venezuelan government continues to disregard the will of its people, our message remains clear: the United States will not stand aside while the Maduro regime continues to destroy democratic order and prosperity in Venezuela,” Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said in a statement Thursday.

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The sanctions freeze assets held in U.S. dollars and prohibit U.S. citizens and companies from dealing with them. Trump has also signed a proclamation as part of a wider travel ban, forbidding officials of the Maduro regime from traveling to the United States.

Among those sanctioned:

► Sandra Oblitas Ruzza, vice president of Venezuela’s National Electoral Council and the head of a key elections agency. The U.S. says Oblitas Ruzza moved polling stations just four days before the election, causing widespread confusion.

► Socorro Elizabeth Hernandez De Hernandez, a member of Venezuela’s National Electoral Board, also involved in moving polling stations.

► Carlos Enrique Quintero Cuevas, a member of Venezuela’s National Electoral Board.

► Elvis Eduardo Hidrobo Amoroso, a top member of the Constituent Assembly, which the U.S. considers illegitimate.

► Julian Isaias Rodriguez Diaz, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Italy, signed the decree requiring the oath of office before the illegitimate AC for governors elected on October 15.

► Ernesto Emilio Villegas Poljak, the newly appointed culture minister who formerly ran a state-run television channel. The U.S. accuses him of curtailing freedom of the press and using state media to undermine free elections.

► Jorge Elieser Marquez Monsalve, the newly appointed minister of the Office of the Presidency and former director of the National Telecommunications Commission. U.S. officials say that commission removed two Colombian television channels from the air in August and suspended CNN en Español from Venezuela after the network reported on allegations against the government.

► Manuel Angel Fernandez Melendez, president of the National Telephone Co. The U.S. says he blocked multiple websites, including social media sites, from the Venezuelan public.

► Carlos Alberto Osorio Zambrano, a transportation official accused in a Venezuelan audit of swindling up to $573 million through Venezuela’s food program.

► Freddy Alirio Bernal Rosales, an agriculture minister in charge of the government-run food distribution program. U.S. officials have previously designated him as a drug kingpin.