On January 10, 2025, the United States was joined by the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Canada to sanction Venezuelan officials that have supported Nicolas Maduro’s illegitimate claim to power. Sanctions were also imposed against high-ranking military and police officials who carried out acts of repression and human rights abuses against democratic actors. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, these coordinated sanctions were imposed to demonstrate that these jurisdictions stand in solidarity with the Venezuelan people and to maintain pressure on Maduro and his representatives to engage in a democratic transition of power.
The United States designated several Venezuelan officials, including Ramon Celestino Velasquez Araguayan (“Velasquez”), the President of the Venezuelan Consortium of Aeronautical Industries and Air Services (“CONVIASA”), a U.S.-designated state-owned airline. Velasquez also served as Maduro’s Minister of Transportation. OFAC imposed these designations pursuant to Executive Order 13692, as amended, for being individuals who are current or former officials in the Venezuelan Government. The U.S. Department of State also imposed new visa restrictions under Presidential Proclamation 9931 on Maduro-aligned officials responsible for undermining electoral processes in Venezuela and engaging in acts of repression. The State Department, as part of the Narcotics Rewards Program, also increased the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of certain Maduro officials to $25 million and added a new $15 million reward for information regarding Maduro’s named Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino.
On the same day, the UK Government sanctioned high-ranking Venezuelan officials associated with Maduro’s contested regime. The United Kingdom designated a total of 15 individuals, including the President of the Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice Caryslia Beatriz Rodriguez Rodriguez (“Rodriguez”) who had a role in legitimizing Maduro’s election and Asdrubal Jose Brito Hernandez (“Hernandez”), the Director of Criminal Investigations at the General Directorate of Military Counter-Intelligence, an entity that allegedly carried out serious human rights abuses against opposition members and civil society. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy also described the Maduro as a “fraudulent” leader who does not represent the will of the Venezuelan people. These designations were imposed pursuant to the Venezuela (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/135), as amended, which subjects listed individuals to asset freezes and travel bans in the United Kingdom.
On January 10, 2025, the Council of the European Union announced that it adopted Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/43 to prolong restrictive measures in view of the situation in Venezuela for an additional year, until January 10, 2026. The Council also adopted Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/49 to add 15 high level Venezuelan officials to its Sanctions List, including Rodriguez, Hernandez, other members of the judiciary, security forces, and the National Electoral Council of Venezuela (“CNE”). The Venezuela sanctions regime subjects designees to asset freezes and travel bans in the European Union.
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs also announced, on January 10, 2025, that Canada was imposing new sanctions against 14 current and former Venezuelan senior officials who allegedly engaged in actions that support human rights violations in Venezuela, including the repression of protestors demanding free and fair elections in Venezuela. On January 9, 2025, Canada also formally recognized Maduro’s opponent, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, as the legitimate president of Venezuela.
U.S. Department of Treasury Press Release | UK Government Press Release | OFSI Financial Sanctions Notice – Venezuela | Council of the EU Press Release | Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/43 | Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/49 | Government of Canada News Release