Following President Obama's new sanctions on Venezuelan officials, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has asked for additional decree powers. Critics of President Maduro accuse him of attempting a power grab by asking for the extra powers. On Monday President Obama signed an executive order declaring the Venezuelan government a "national security" threat and ordering sanctions on seven officials. The Obama Administration accuses Venezuelan officials of being involved in human rights violations against its citizens and overrun with public corruption. The order freezes the U.S. assets and property belonging to the individuals and bars them from traveling to the US.