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1 1 (August 22, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govbaux0001 and id is 1 raw text is: k , Congressional Research Service Informing t egislative debat since 1914 Venezuela: Overview of U.S. Sanctions For more than a decade, the United States has employed sanctions as a policy tool in response to activities of the Venezuelan government and Venezuelan individuals. As Venezuela's political and economic crisis under the leadership of Nicolfs Maduro has deepened, the Trump Administration has significantly expanded sanctions. Currently, the Treasury Department has sanctions on 129 Venezuelan or Venezuelan-connected individuals and the State Department has revoked the visas of hundreds of such persons. The Trump Administration also has imposed sanctions on Venezuela's state oil company (Petr6leos de Venezuela, S.A., or PdVSA), government, central bank, gold industry, and other entities, and it is increasingly turning to secondary sanctions. Sanctions have increased pressure on the Maduro government, including accelerating the decline in Venezuela's oil production. However, sanctions have not yet led to a political transition. Maduro remains in power, even though it has been eight months since the United States recognized Juan Guid6, the head of Venezuela's National Assembly, as the country's interim president and ceased to recognize Maduro as the president of Venezuela. Terrorism-Related Sanctions Since 2006, the Secretary of State has made an annual determination that Venezuela is not cooperating fully with United States anti-terrorism efforts pursuant to Section 40A of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2781). The most recent determination was made in May 2019. As a result, the United States has prohibited all U.S. commercial arms sales and retransfers to Venezuela since 2006. In 2008, the Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions on two individuals and two travel agencies in Venezuela for providing financial support to the radical Lebanon-based Islamic Shiite group Hezbollah. Pursuant to E.O. 13224, the action aimed to impede terrorist funding. Drug Trafficking-Related Sanctions Since 2005, pursuant to procedures in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, FY2003 (P.L. 107-228, §706; 22 U.S.C. 229 lj), the President has made an annual determination that Venezuela has failed demonstrably to adhere to its obligations under international narcotics agreements. President Trump made the most recent determination for FY2020 in August 2019 but waived foreign aid restrictions for programs that support the interim government. The Treasury Department has imposed economic sanctions on at least 22 individuals with connections to Venezuela and 27 companies by designating them as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (P.L. 106-120, Title VIII; 21 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.). Updated August 22, 2019 Designated individuals include several current or former Venezuelan officials. Some of the more recent sanctions include then-Vice President Tareck el Aissami in 2017 and Pedro Luis Martin (a former senior intelligence official) and two associates in May 2018. Others designated include drug trafficker Walid Makled, three dual Lebanese-Venezuelan citizens allegedly involved in a drug money laundering network, and several Colombian drug traffickers with activity in Venezuela. Targeted Sanctions Related to Antidemocratic Actions, Human Rights Violations, and Corruption In response to increasing repression in Venezuela, Congress enacted the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-278; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note) in 2014. Among its provisions, the law requires the President to impose sanctions (asset blocking and visa restrictions) against those whom the President identifies as responsible for significant acts of violence or serious human rights abuses or anyone who has ordered the arrest or prosecution of a person because of the person's legitimate exercise of freedom of expression or assembly. In 2016, Congress extended this act through 2019 in P.L. 114-194. In March 2015, President Obama issued E.O. 13692 to implement P.L. 113-278, and the Treasury Department issued regulations in July 2015 (31 C.F.R. Part 591). The E.O. targets (for asset blocking and visa restrictions) those involved in actions or policies undermining democratic processes or institutions; those involved in acts of violence or conduct constituting a serious human rights abuse; those taking actions that prohibit, limit, or penalize the exercise of freedom of expression or peaceful assembly; public corruption by senior Venezuelan officials; and any person determined to be a current or former leader of any entity engaged in any activity described above or a current or former official of the government of Venezuela. Currently, the Treasury Department has financial sanctions on 89 Venezuelans pursuant to E.O. 13692. Under the Obama Administration, the Treasury Department froze the assets of seven Venezuelans-six members of Venezuela's security forces and a prosecutor who repressed protesters. Under the Trump Administration, the Treasury Department currently has sanctions on an additional 82 Venezuelan officials, including President Maduro; his wife, Cecilia Flores, and son, Nicolfis Maduro Guerra; Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez; Diosdado Cabello (Socialist party president); eight supreme court judges; the leaders of Venezuela's army, national guard, and national police; four state governors; the director of the Central Bank of Venezuela; and the foreign minister. On May 7, 2019, the Treasury Department lifted sanctions against the former head of Venezuela's intelligence service, General Manuel https:!icrsreports cong --sg

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