President of Venezuela taunts Trump over popular vote loss

President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela taunted President Trump in response to the sanctions the U.S. placed on the country on Monday, reports Reuters.

In doing so, the Venezuelan president took aim at an apparent soft spot—Hillary Clinton's popular vote win in the 2016 election.

Maduro said, "In the United States it's possible to become president with 3 million votes less than your opponent. What a tremendous democracy!"

Click through how every state voted in the 2016 election:

"I don't take orders from the empire. Bring on more sanctions, Donald Trump," Maduro added.

The prohibitions target Maduro's assets and forbid U.S. entities from doing business with him.

They followed Venezuela's questionable Sunday election, which granted Maduro power to rewrite the nation's constitution.

CNN Money notes that "much of the world — and many of Venezuela's own citizens — have called the vote an assault on democracy"

Click through images of Melania Trump and President Trump at a recent Ohio rally:

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, at a Monday press briefing, said of the matter, "Yesterday's illegitimate elections confirm that Maduro is a dictator who disregards the will of the Venezuelan people."

"By sanctioning Maduro, the United States makes clear our opposition to the policies of his regime and the support for the people of Venezuela, who strive to return their country to a full and prosperous democracy. As the country's head of state, Maduro is directly responsible for Venezuela's descent and for the destruction of democracy."