Venezuela has sent a letter of protest to the United States over Washington’s new sanctions on officials accused of an opposition crackdown.

Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said Venezuela had sent a note of protest against President Barack Obama’s executive order, which imposed an asset freeze and US travel ban on seven senior Venezuelan officials, the Rosbalt news agency reported.

Obama’s order declared Venezuela a “threat to the national security of the United States,” -- language that US officials said was a formality for imposing sanctions.