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Sanctions Targeting Venezuela

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US Government Escalates Sanctions Against the Government of Venezuela

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On August 5, 2019, President Trump issued Executive Order 13884 (“Venezuela EO”) blocking all property of the Government of Venezuela (“GOV”), a significant escalation of sanctions against the regime of President Maduro.  Statements issued by the White House and State Department indicate that this escalation is meant to target the Maduro regime for its continued abuses of human rights and repression.  The US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) concurrently issued 12 amended general licenses and 13 new general licenses, new and revised FAQs, and guidance related to the provision of humanitarian assistance and support to the Venezuelan people.

The Venezuela EO targets only the GOV and entities owned 50% or more or otherwise controlled by the GOV, and thus does not place Venezuela under a full territorial embargo. Transactions with private Venezuelan parties that can be effected without the involvement of the GOV remain permissible.

The new sanctions prohibit virtually all US Person dealings with the GOV by blocking the property and interests in property of the GOV that are in the United States, that come within the United States, or that come within the possession or control of US Persons (i.e., US companies and their branches, US banks, US citizens and permanent resident aliens, any person physically located in the United States). GOV funds, contracts or other property interests that come into the possession or control of US Persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC.

US Government Amends Venezuela-Related General License to Allow Certain Companies to Continue Operations in Venezuela Involving PdVSA until October 25, 2019

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On July 26, 2019, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) amended General License (“GL”) 8A and reissued it as GL 8B to extend it until October 25, 2019. GL 8B now has the same expiration date as GL 13B, which was also recently extended.

OFAC Issues Amended Venezuela-Related General License and Ukraine-Related General Licenses

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On June 26, 2019, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) amended Venezuela-related General License 13A (re-issued as General License 13B) to extend its expiration date from July 27, 2019 to October 25, 2019.  General License 13B continues to authorize transactions with Nynas AB, which is owned more than 50% by Petróleos de Venezuela SA (“PdVSA”), and any of Nynas AB’s subsidiaries.  PdVSA was designated as a Specially Designated National (“SDN”) on January 28, 2019, under Executive Order 13850.  Our original blog post regarding the designation of PdVSA is available here.  Dealings with entities owned 50% or more by PdVSA are prohibited absent OFAC authorization (i.e., a general or specific license).  Our previous blog post regarding the application of US sanctions to certain PdVSA subsidiaries is available here.

In addition, OFAC extended the expiration dates of two general licenses related to GAZ Group (“GAZ”), which was designated as an SDN on April 6, 2018 for being owned or controlled by Oleg Deripaska.  Please see our blog post regarding this designation here. 

OFAC Issues Amended Venezuela-Related General Licenses and FAQ to Clarify Position on Exports/Reexports of Diluents to Venezuela

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On June 6, 2019, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) amended three Venezuela-related general licenses (re-issued as General License No. 7B, General License No. 8A, and General License 13A) to clarify that these authorizations do not authorize US Persons to engage in transactions or dealings related to the exportation or reexportation of diluents, directly or indirectly, to Venezuela.  Such general licenses (“GLs”) were originally issued concurrent with the designation of Petróleos de Venezuela SA (“PdVSA”) as a Specially Designated National (“SDN”) on January 28, 2019, under Executive Order 13850.  Our original blog post regarding the designation of PdVSA is available here. 

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