WASHINGTON, USA – Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning eight Venezuelan officials who lead key economic and security agencies enabling Nicolas Maduro’s repression and subversion of democracy in Venezuela.
The individuals sanctioned, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, as amended, include the president of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., (PdVSA), Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, and Maduro’s Minister of Transportation and president of the Venezuelan Consortium of Aeronautical Industries and Air Services (CONVIASA), the state-owned airline. In addition, OFAC is sanctioning high-level Venezuelan officials in the military and police who lead entities with roles in carrying out Maduro’s repression and human rights abuses against democratic actors.
Alongside similar actions taken today by partners, including Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, OFAC’s designations demonstrate a message of solidarity with the Venezuelan people, and further elevate international efforts to maintain pressure on Maduro and his representatives.
“Since last year’s election, Maduro and his associates have continued their repressive actions in Venezuela,” said acting under secretary of the treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence Bradley T. Smith. “The United States, together with our likeminded partners, stands in solidarity with the Venezuelan people’s vote for new leadership and rejects Maduro’s fraudulent claim of victory.”
In the months since the Venezuelan presidential elections on July 28, 2024, the United States and its allies in the region have pushed Maduro to commit to a democratic transition. Instead, Maduro and his representatives have continued their violent repression in an attempt to maintain power, and have ignored the Venezuelan people’s calls from for democratic accountability.
Concurrently, as part of the Narcotics Rewards Program, the Department of State is increasing the reward offers to up to $25 million each for information leading to the arrest and/or convictions of Maduro and Maduro’s named minister of interior, justice, and peace Diosdado Cabello, as well as adding a new reward of up to $15 million for Maduro’s named defense minister Vladimir Padrino. The Department of State also imposed new visa restrictions under Presidential Proclamation 9931 on Maduro-aligned officials who have undermined the electoral process in Venezuela and are responsible for acts of repression.
The following Venezuelan officials of state-owned entities and ministries are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13692, “Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela,” as amended, for being a current or former official of the Government of Venezuela.
Hector Andres Obregon Perez (Obregon) was named by Maduro in August 2024 as president of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), Venezuela’s state-owned oil company and a primary source of Venezuela’s income and foreign currency. OFAC sanctioned PdVSA in January 2019. Previously, Obregon was the executive vice president of PdVSA. Obregon also served as director general of the office of the ministry of communication and information, general director of the Autonomous Service of Registries and Notaries, president of the Venezuelan foreign trade corporation, and president of the economic and social development bank.
Ramon Celestino Velasquez Araguayan (Velasquez) has served as Maduro’s Minister of Transportation since May 2023. Velasquez also is the president of the Venezuelan Consortium of Aeronautical Industries and Air Services (CONVIASA), the US-sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned airline.
Felix Ramon Osorio Guzman (Osorio) was named on November 12, 2024 as vice minister of interior policy and legal security of Maduro’s interior ministry. Previously, Osorio served as commander general of the Bolivarian Army of Venezuela. The Bolivarian Army is one of the components of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela (FANB, its Spanish acronym).
The following Venezuelan police and military officials are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13692, “Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela,” as amended, for being a current or former official of the Government of Venezuela.
Danny Ramon Ferrer Sandrea (Ferrer) was named on November 12, 2024, as vice minister of the integrated system of penal investigations of Maduro’s interior ministry. In this role, Ferrer has been responsible for the evaluation, control, and supervision of investigative police units, including the Scientific, Penal, and Criminal Investigations Corps (CICPC, its Spanish acronym) and the National Service of Forensic Medicine and Sciences. The CICPC is Venezuela’s largest national police agency.
Douglas Arnoldo Rico Gonzalez (Rico) has served as director of CICPC since February 2016. The CICPC has reportedly committed systematic human rights abuses in Venezuela, including extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests. Rico was sanctioned by the European Union for human rights abuses on April 20, 2023.
Jhonny Rafael Salazar Bello (Salazar) has served as deputy director of the CICPC since March 19, 2018. Venezuelan lawyers have made public complaints against the CICPC for human rights violations and abuses committed under Rico’s and Salazar’s command since the July 28, 2024 presidential election.
Manuel Enrique Castillo Rengifo (Castillo) was named on October 16, 2024, as deputy commander of the Strategic Operations Command (CEOFANB, its Spanish acronym) of the FANB. Previously, Castillo served as commander of Strategic Regions for Integral Defense Los Andes. The CEOFANB is one of FANB’s six branches, whose mandate is to be the operational command for strategic operations. As the operational command of the FANB, the CEOFANB also oversees the repression tactics carried out by the FANB.
Jose Ramon Figuera Valdez (Figuera) was named on October 17, 2024 as commander of the Integral Defense Zone (ZODI, its Spanish acronym) for the Venezuelan capital district, having previously served as second-in-command of the capital district ZODI. Under Figuera’s leadership, the capital district has reportedly experienced the highest levels of arbitrary detentions against protesters since the July 28, 2024 election. On July 29, 2024, at least eight protesters and bystanders were killed in the capital district, where Figuera was in command.
Sanctions implications
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above, and of any entities that are owned directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by US persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.
In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. Violations of OFAC regulations may result in civil or criminal penalties.
OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of US sanctions, including the factors that OFAC generally considers when determining an appropriate response to an apparent violation.
The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior.
- For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here
- Click here for more information on the individuals and entities designated today.
