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Venezuela: Overview of U.S. Sanctions


For more than a decade, the United States has imposed
sanctions in response to activities ofthe Venezuelan
government and Venezuelan individuals. In response to the
authoritarian leadershipof Nicolds Maduro, the Trump
Adminis tration has significantly expanded sanctions. As of
August20,2020, the TreasuryDepartmenthas  imposed
sanctions on more than 150 Venezuelan or Venezuelan-
connected individuals, and the State Departmenthas
revoked the visas of more than 1,000 individuals andtheir
families. The Trump Administrationalsohas 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 Maduo
government, accelerating a decline in oil production.
Nevertheless, Maduro remains in power a year and a half
since the United States ceased to recognize his presidency.
The Trump Administration has promised continued support
to National As sembly President Juan Guaid6, whomthe
United States and 57 governments recognize as interim
president of Venezuela. In 2020, Treasury has sanctioned
two subsidiaries of the Russian state-controlled Rosneft Oil
Company  for facilitating Venezuelan oil exports and four
shipping companies for transporting Venezuelan oil.

TerrrsnRated~ Santios
Since 2006, the Secretary of State has made an annual
determination that Venezuelais not cooperating fully with
United States anti-terrorismefforts pursuantto Section
40A of the Arms Export ControlAct (22U.S.C. 2781). The
most recent determination was made in May 2020. As a
result, the United States has prohibited all U.S. commercial
arms sales and retransfers to Venezuela since 2006.

In 2008, Treasury imposed fmancialsanctions on two
individuals and two travel agencies in Venezuela for
financially supporting the radical Lebanon-basedIslamic
Shiite group Hezbollah. Pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.)
13224, those sanctions related to terrorist funding.

Drg   Tfficking:Rebted Sanctions
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 intemationalnarcotics agreements.
President Trump made themost recent determination for
FY2020  in August2019but waived foreign aid restrictions
for programs that support the interimgovernment.

Treasury has imposed economic sanctions on at least 22
individuals with connections to Venezuela and 27
companies by designating themas Specially Designated
Narcotics Traffickers pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics
Kingpin Designation Act (P.L. 106-120, Title VIII; 21


Updated August 20,2020


U.S.C. 1901 et seq.). Designated individuals includecunent
and former Venezuelan officials, such as then-Vice
President TareckelAissami(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.

    ageted Sa    os     lted to Antdn       a
SAtonsua Rgt Violatio'xns and Corrtion
In response to increasing repressionin Venezuela, Congress
enacted the Venezuela Defense offHuman 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 (assetblockingandvisa restrictions)
against those whomthe President identifies as responsible
for significant acts of violence or serious human rights
abuses or anyone who has ordered the arrestor prosecution
ofa person becauseofthe person's legitimate exercise of
freedomofexpression orassembly. Congress extendedthis
act through 2019in P.L. 114-194. In December 2019,
Congress extendedthis act through 2023 in P.L. 116-94.

In March 2015, PresidentObama 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 as set
blocking and vis arestrictions) those involved in actions or
policies undermining democratic processes or institutions;
serious human rights abuses; prohibiting, limiting, or
penalizing freedomof expressionorpeacefulassembly;and
public corruption. It includes any person who is acurrentor
former leader of any entity engaged in any of those
activities, as well as current or forner government officials.

As ofAugust  20,2020, Treasuryhas imposed financial
sanctions on 100 Venezuelans pursuant to E.O. 13692.
Under the Obama Administration, Treasury froze the as sets
of seven Venezuelans-sixmembers  ofVenezuela's
security forces and aprosecutor who repressed protesters.
Under the Trump Administration, Treasury has imposed
sanctions on an additional91 Venezuelan officials,
including President Maduro;his wife,Cecilia Flores, and
son, Nicolds Maduro Guerra; Executive Vice President
Delcy Rodriguez; Diosdado Cabello (Socialist party
president); eight supreme court judges; the leaders of
Venezuela's army, nationalguard, andnational police; four
state governors; the directorof the centralbank; and the
foreign minister. On May 7,2019, Treasury lifted sanctions
against the formerhead ofVenezuela's intelligence service,
General Manuel Cristopher Figuera, who broke ranks with
Maduro.

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