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1 1 (February 21, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/govcabx0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Venezuela: Overview of U.S. Sanctions For more than a decade, the United States has imposed sanctions in response to activities of the Venezuelan government and Venezuelan individuals. In response to the authoritarian leadership of Nicolfs Maduro, the Trump Administration has significantly expanded sanctions. As of January 22, 2020, the Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on at least 144 Venezuelan or Venezuelan- connected individuals, and the State Department has revoked the visas of hundreds of individuals and their families. The Trump Administration also has imposed sanctions on Venezuela's state oil company (Petr6leos de Venezuela, S.A., or PdVSA), government, and central bank. Sanctions have increased economic pressure on the Maduro government, accelerating a decline in oil production. Nevertheless, Maduro remains in power a year since the United States ceased to recognize him as president. The Trump Administration has promised continued support to National Assembly President Juan Guaid6, whom the United States and 57 governments recognize as interim president of Venezuela. Recent U.S. sanctions targeted legislators who tried to block Guaid6's January 2020 reelection as National Assembly president. On February 18, 2020, Treasury sanctioned Rosneft Trading S.A., a subsidiary of the Russian state-controlled Rosneft Oil Company, for facilitating Venezuelan oil exports. 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, Treasury 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 Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, those sanctions related to terrorist funding. Since 2005, pursuant to procedures in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, FY2003 (P.L. 107-228, §706; 22 U.S.C. 2291j), 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. Treasury has imposed economic sanctions on at least 22 individuals with connections to Venezuela and 27 gognpo go g , q 'S a X 11LULANJILiN, Updated February 21, 2020 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.). Designated individuals include current and former Venezuelan officials, such as then-Vice President Tareck el Aissami (2017) and Pedro Luis Martin (a former senior intelligence official) and two associates (2018). Others 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. 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 Treasury 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; serious human rights abuses; prohibiting, limiting, or penalizing freedom of expression or peaceful assembly; and public corruption. It includes any person who is a current or former leader of any entity engaged in any of those activities, as well as current or former government officials. As of January 22, 2020, Treasury has financial sanctions on 98 Venezuelans pursuant to E.O. 13692. Under the Obama Administration, Treasury froze the assets of seven Venezuelans six members of Venezuela's security forces and a prosecutor who repressed protesters. Under the Trump Administration, Treasury currently has sanctions on an additional 91 Venezuelan officials, including President Maduro; his wife, Cecilia Flores, and son, Nicolfs 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; and the foreign minister. On May 7, 2019, Treasury lifted sanctions against the former head of Venezuela's intelligence service, General Manuel Cristopher Figuera, who broke ranks with Maduro. K~:>

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