MIAMI — AT&T said Tuesday it will immediately ditch Venezuela’s pay TV market as U.S. sanctions prohibit its DirecTV platform from broadcasting channels it is required to carry by the socialist administration of Nicolás Maduro.

The Dallas-based company said its decision to close its unit is effective immediately. It joins a number of other U.S. companies — General Motors, Kellogg Co. and Kimberly-Clark — that have abandoned Venezuela due to shrinking sales, government threats and the risk of U.S. sanctions. Around 700 Venezuelans depended on the unit for employment.

AT&T has a 44% share of the pay TV market and its departure is likely to hit hard working-class barrios of larger cities.