Frequently Asked Questions

515. For purposes of Executive Order (E.O.) 13808 is the term "new equity" limited to equity that is issued by an entity owned or controlled by the Government of Venezuela after the sanctions effective date, or would equity purchased or acquired by an entity owned or controlled by the Government of Venezuela from a third party after the sanctions effective date be considered new equity?

515 … Under E.O. 13808 , the term "new equity" pertains to equity issued, directly or indirectly, by the Government of Venezuela on or after August 25, 2017. That said, E.O. 13808 also prohibits U.S. persons from purchasing any securities – including equity securities issued by a non-sanctioned… Read more

595. What does Venezuela-related General License 5Q authorize?

595 … The President issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13835 on May 21, 2018. Subsection 1(a)(iii) of E.O. 13835 prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions related to the sale, transfer, assignment, or pledging as collateral by the Government of Venezuela (GOV) of any equity interest in an… Read more

596. Does E.O. 13835 prohibit me from attaching and executing against assets of the Government of Venezuela, including vessels, properties, or financial assets, if I have a legal judgment against the Government of Venezuela?

596 … No, provided that the attachment does not involve (i) debt owed to the Government of Venezuela (including accounts receivable) that was pledged as collateral after the effective date of E.O. 13835 (per subsection 1(a)(ii) of the E.O.), or (ii) an equity interest in any entity in which the… Read more

628. What is the objective of Executive Order (E.O.) 13850 of November 1, 2018, "Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela"?

628 … E.O. 13850 is designed to counter rampant corruption within the Government of Venezuela, which continues to exacerbate the economic and humanitarian crises afflicting the Venezuelan people. As we have worked to disrupt the Government of Venezuela’s sources of corrupt patronage, the Maduro… Read more

629. Executive order (E.O.) 13850 of November 1, 2018, “Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela,” authorizes the imposition of sanctions on persons operating in Venezuela’s gold sector. For purposes of this E.O., how will OFAC target those who “operate in the gold sector of the Venezuela economy or any other sector of the Venezuela economy as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Secretary of State”?

629 … OFAC expects to use its discretion to target in particular those who operate corruptly in the gold or other identified sectors of the Venezuela economy, and not those who are operating legitimately in such sectors. This includes, for example, persons engaging in dishonest or fraudulent… Read more

516. Does the prohibition in E.O. 13808 on "dealing in new debt" of longer than 90 days maturity (for PdVSA) or 30 days (for the rest of the Government of Venezuela) prohibit dealing in debt with maturity that exceeds the applicable authorized tenor in which the Government of Venezuela is not directly or indirectly the borrower?

516 … E.O.13808 prohibits U.S. persons from dealing in debt of longer than 90 days maturity (for PdVSA) and longer than 30 days maturity (for the rest of the Government of Venezuela) issued on or after August 25, 2017. E.O. 13808 does not prohibit U.S. persons from dealing with the Government of… Read more

517. For the purposes of Executive Order (E.O. 13808) may a U.S. person consent to a replacement of its participation by a non-U.S. person in a long-term loan facility that was extended to the Government of Venezuela prior to the sanctions effective date?

517 … E.O.13808 does not prohibit a U.S. person from engaging in transactions necessary to exit or replace its participation in a long-term loan facility that was extended to the Government of Venezuela prior to August 25, 2017, provided that such transactions do not otherwise run afoul of the… Read more

518. Is a U.S. person permitted under E.O. 13808 to extend credit for greater than 90 days (for PdVSA) or 30 days (for the rest of the Government of Venezuela) to a non-sanctioned party for the purpose of purchasing goods or services from the Government of Venezuela?

518 … E.O.13808 does not prohibit U.S. persons from extending credit for longer than 90 days (for PdVSA) or 30 days (for the rest of the Government of Venezuela) to non-sanctioned parties for the purpose of purchasing goods or services from the Government of Venezuela, so long as the Government of… Read more

519. How can I help the Venezuelan people while making sure to abide by the U.S. sanctions?

519 … While E.O. 13884 blocks all property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela that come into the possession or control of U.S. persons or U.S. jurisdiction, the Venezuelan people are not subject to comprehensive U.S. sanctions. Sanctions do not preclude U.S. persons from… Read more

520. Do I need a specific license from OFAC to send U.S.-origin food or medicine to Venezuela?

520 … No, as long as your transaction or other dealing does not involve property or interests in property of a Specially Designated National. That said, you should make sure that your proposed export is authorized by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security ("BIS") , which… Read more

Frequently Asked Questions

Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence