1237. Do Venezuela General Licenses (GLs) 46A and 48 allow for the payments of certain local taxes, permits, and fees in support of authorized transactions involving Venezuela’s oil or gas sectors?

Yes.  Consistent with other authorizations issued by OFAC pursuant to the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations (VSR), GLs 46A and 48 authorize routine payments of local taxes, permits, and fees to the Government of Venezuela (GOV) or its instrumentalities.

However, other payments, including royalties, fixed per-barrel production levies, or federal taxes to blocked persons, such as the GOV or Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), must be made into the Foreign Government Deposit Funds, as specified in Executive Order (E.O.) 14373, or any other account as instructed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.