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OFAC issues amended Venezuela-related general license and FAQ and other notices
On January 20, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela-related General License (GL) 5I, which supersedes GL 5H and authorizes certain transactions otherwise prohibited under Executive Orders 13835 and 13857 related to, or that provide financing for, dealings in the Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. 2020 8.5 Percent Bond on or after January 20, 2023. Concurrently, OFAC updated a Venezuela-related frequently asked question regarding GL 5I. Additionally, OFAC amended the definition of “applicable schedule amount” contained in appendix A to 31 CFR part 501. The amendment became effective January 21.
OFAC extends Venezuela-related general license
On November 24, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued Venezuela-related General License (GL) 8I, which extends the authorization of certain transactions that were in effect prior to July 26, 2019, involving Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. that are necessary for the limited maintenance of essential operations in Venezuela or the wind-down of operations in Venezuela for certain entities that would otherwise be prohibited by Executive Order 13850 (as amended), as incorporated into the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations. (Covered by InfoBytes here.) Effective through June 1, 2022, GL 8I replaces GL 8H, which was issued June 1.
OFAC issues amended Venezuela-related general license and FAQ
On September 10, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela General License (GL) 5H, which supersedes GL 5G and authorizes certain transactions otherwise prohibited under Executive Orders 13835 and 13857 related to, or that provide financing for, dealings in the Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. 2020 8.5 Percent Bond on or after January 22, 2022. Concurrently, OFAC amended a Venezuela-related frequently asked question regarding GL 5H.
OFAC issues new general license and related FAQs involving Venezuela
On July 12, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License (GL) 40, “Authorizing Certain Transactions Involving the Exportation or Reexportation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas to Venezuela.” GL 40 permits transactions and activities otherwise prohibited by Executive Order 13884 (covered by InfoBytes here) involving “the Government of Venezuela, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), or any entity in which PdVSA owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest.” OFAC also published two new FAQs, 914 and 915, related to GL 40.
OFAC amends Venezuela-related general license
On June 1, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued Venezuela-related General License (GL) 8H, which authorizes transactions involving Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) necessary for the limited maintenance of essential operations in Venezuela or the wind down of operations in Venezuela for certain entities that would otherwise be prohibited by Executive Order 13850, as incorporated into the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations. (Covered by InfoBytes here.) Effective June 1, GL 8H replaces GL 8G, which was issued November 2020.
OFAC amends Venezuela-related general license
On February 2, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued Venezuela-related General License (GL) 30A, which authorizes certain necessary to port and airport operations that would otherwise be prohibited by Executive Order (E.O.) 13884, as incorporated into the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations. (See previous InfoBytes coverage here.) Effective February 2, G.L. 30A replaces G.L. 30, which was issued in August of 2019.
OFAC targets Venezuelan oil sector sanctions evasion network
On January 19, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13850 against three individuals, fourteen entities, and six vessels for allegedly engaging in activities tied to a Mexico-based network involved in the illicit sale of hundreds of millions of dollars of Venezuelan oil. The action builds on OFAC’s June 2020 sanctions against three individuals and eight foreign entities for allegedly engaging in activities in or associated with a network attempting to evade U.S. sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector in order to benefit “the illegitimate Maduro regime” and Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (covered by InfoBytes here). As a result, all property and interests in property belonging to the identified individuals and entities subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and “any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by the designated entities, are also blocked.” U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons.
OFAC issues counter terrorism general licenses and related FAQs, updates SDN List
On January 19, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued four General Licenses in conjunction with State Department designations against a foreign terrorist organization: General License 9, “Official Business of the United States Government,” General License 10, “Official Activities of Certain International Organizations,” General License 11, “Certain Transactions in Support of Nongovernmental Organizations’ Activities in Yemen,” and General License 12, “Transactions Related to the Exportation or Reexportation of Agricultural Commodities, Medicine, Medical Devices, Replacement Parts and Components or Software Updates.” The general licenses authorize certain transactions ordinarily prohibited by the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, Foreign Terrorist Organizations Sanctions Regulations, and Executive Order 13224, including actions “to help facilitate the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian assistance, including COVID-19-related assistance, and certain other critical commodities to the people of Yemen that would otherwise be prohibited pursuant to authorities administered by OFAC.” OFAC also published related FAQs 875, 876, and 877.
OFAC also updated its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List to add individuals and entities associated with Venezuela, Russia, and Yemen designations.
OFAC issues amended Venezuela-related general license, sanctions Venezuelan officials
On January 4, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela-related General License (GL) 31A and an amended related frequently asked question. GL 31A authorizes certain transactions and activities involving the IV Venezuelan National Assembly, the Interim President of Venezuela, and certain other persons that would otherwise be prohibited by Executive Order (E.O.) 13884, as incorporated into the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations. (See previous InfoBytes coverage here.)
Additionally, earlier on December 30, OFAC announced sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13692 against two Venezuelan government officials who presided over the trials of six U.S. persons in Venezuela. According to OFAC, the six executives’ trials “were based on politically motivated charges and marred by a lack of fair trial guarantees.” As a result, all property and interests in property belonging to the identified individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and “any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by the designated persons are also blocked.” U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any dealings involving the property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons.
OFAC sanctions biometric technology company for supporting Maduro regime
On December 18, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against a Venezuelan-registered biometric technology company and two individuals for allegedly materially supporting the Maduro regime by providing goods and services that the regime used to carry out the “fraudulent” elections on December 6. The sanctions, issued pursuant to Executive Order 13692, reflect Treasury’s continued efforts to hold persons who offer support to the Maduro regime accountable. As a result, all property and interests in property belonging to the identified individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and “any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by the designated individuals, are also blocked.” U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons.