In Addition to Banning Petro, US Sanctions 4 More Venezuelans
Latin American Herald Tribune
March 19, 2018

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four current or former Venezuelan government officials pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, as part of Treasury’s ongoing efforts to highlight the economic mismanagement and endemic corruption that have been the defining features of the Maduro regime.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four current or former Venezuelan government officials pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, as part of Treasury’s ongoing efforts to highlight the economic mismanagement and endemic corruption that have been the defining features of the Maduro regime.

The Venezuelan government’s actions have rendered Venezuela’s currency essentially worthless through hyperinflation, made food and medicine rare commodities through price controls, and triggered a humanitarian crisis that the Venezuelan government refuses to alleviate by changing policy or accepting international assistance.

“President Maduro decimated the Venezuelan economy and spurred a humanitarian crisis. Instead of correcting course to avoid further catastrophe, the Maduro regime is attempting to circumvent sanctions through the Petro digital currency – a ploy that Venezuela’s democratically-elected National Assembly has denounced and Treasury has cautioned U.S. persons to avoid,” said Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin. “Today, I participated in an important meeting in Argentina with my counterparts from the region and Europe, where we discussed how to achieve our shared objectives of restoring Venezuelan democracy, combating the kleptocracy of the Maduro regime, and responding to the humanitarian crisis caused by Maduro’s economic policy. We urge Maduro to distribute humanitarian aid and stop blocking much-needed foreign assistance to the suffering people of Venezuela, and we again call upon the Venezuelan military to respect and uphold the Constitution.”

Today, President Trump also signed an Executive Order prohibiting U.S. persons and others subject to U.S. jurisdiction from engaging in all transactions related to, provision of financing for, and other dealings in any digital currency, digital coin, or digital token that was issued by, for, or on behalf of the Government of Venezuela after January 9, 2018.

As a result of today’s actions, all assets of the following current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them:

Américo Alex Mata García (Mata) was appointed as an Alternate Director on the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Housing and Habitat, also known as BANAVIH, under the Ministry of Popular Power for Habitat and Housing. Mata was also the Vice Minister of Agricultural Economics and the President of the Agricultural Bank of Venezuela, both of which attached to the Ministry of Popular Power for Agriculture and Lands. Mata is a former President of Corpomiranda, a state-owned company known for its role in executing public policies involving the territorial development of and populations inhabiting the area that comprises the state of Miranda, the Tuy River Basin, and the Tovar, Ribas, Revenga, and Santos de Michelena municipalities of Aragua State. In his role as the coordinator of Maduro’s 2013 presidential campaign, Mata allegedly asked for and received payments from Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction company mired in a worldwide corruption scandal. Mata allegedly asked for 50 million dollars in the name of the Venezuelan Government, simultaneously guaranteeing Odebrecht contracts for future works. Odebrecht is reported to have provided 35 million dollars to Maduro’s campaign in 2013.

MATA GARCIA, Americo Alex (Latin: MATA GARCÍA, Américo Alex) (a.k.a. MATA, Americo (Latin: MATA, Américo)), Miranda, Venezuela; DOB 02 Jan 1976; citizen Venezuela; Gender Male; Cedula No. 12711021 (Venezuela); Passport C1506013 (Venezuela); Alternate Director on the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Housing and Habitat; Former Vice Minister of Agricultural Economics; Former President of the Agricultural Bank of Venezuela (individual) [VENEZUELA].

Willian Antonio Contreras (Contreras) is the head, or National Superintendent, of the Superintendency for the Defense of Socioeconomic Rights (SUNDDE), the agency responsible for imposing price controls in Venezuela. Additionally, Contreras is the Vice Minister of Internal Commerce within the Ministry of Popular Power of Economy and Finance. Due to continued price controls imposed by SUNDDE on businesses ranging from supermarkets to multinational companies, businesses have slowed production or have stopped operating rather than continuing to import raw materials to be incorporated into products that they are ordered to sell for significantly less than the prices typically found in supermarkets. Contreras has been quoted as stating that SUNDDE implements government-mandated price controls on raw materials and that these laws prohibit the private sector in Venezuela from declaring prices different from the government’s official price determination.

CONTRERAS, Willian Antonio (a.k.a. CONTRERAS, William), Capital District, Venezuela; DOB 17 Aug 1968; citizen Venezuela; Gender Male; Cedula No. 9953939 (Venezuela); Passport 041067710 (Venezuela) expires 12 Jan 2016; Vice Minister of Internal Commerce, within the Ministry of Popular Power of Economy and Finance; National Superintendent for the Defense of Socioeconomic Rights (SUNDDE) (individual) [VENEZUELA].

Nelson Reinaldo Lepaje Salazar (Lepaje), as of mid-March 2018, was acting in the capacity of the Head of the Office of the National Treasury of Venezuela. Lepaje was formerly delegated the functions of the Assistant National Treasurer, and in that role he was involved in oversight of administrative procedures and the signing of official documents, including financial agreements between the Ministry of Popular Power, the Central Bank of Venezuela, and any national or foreign financial institutions that are auxiliary entities of the National Treasury Office. Lepaje also authorized the opening of bank accounts with funds from the National Treasury in both national and foreign currencies. The former National Treasurer, Carlos Erick Malpica Flores, also was designated by OFAC, in July 2017. In addition, the Venezuelan National Treasury has been the subject of previous corruption allegations, as it was alleged that President Maduro stole nearly $10 million from the National Treasury.

LEPAJE SALAZAR, Nelson Reinaldo, Aragua, Venezuela; DOB 24 Apr 1969; citizen Venezuela; Gender Male; Cedula No. 10049353 (Venezuela); Passport 064906043 (Venezuela) expires 12 Jan 2016; alt. Passport 009551291 (Venezuela) expires 04 Mar 2013; Acting in the Capacity of the Head of the Office of the National Treasury (individual) [VENEZUELA].

Carlos Alberto Rotondaro Cova (Rotondaro) is the former President of the Board of Directors of the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security (IVSS), the government agency tasked with providing patients with drugs for chronic conditions. As a result of Venezuela’s economic collapse under Maduro, the country no longer purchases sufficient foreign medications or produces enough of its own medications. Due partly to insufficient vaccines and antibiotics, once-controlled diseases like diphtheria and measles have returned, while Venezuelans suffering chronic illnesses like cancer or diabetes often have to forgo treatment. Venezuela’s healthcare system continues to slide deeper into crisis following years of economic turmoil, spurring outbreaks of treatable diseases and rising death rates.

ROTONDARO COVA, Carlos Alberto (a.k.a. ROTONDARO COVA, Carlos; a.k.a. ROTONDARO, Carlos), Capital District, Venezuela; DOB 11 Sep 1965; citizen Venezuela; Gender Male; Cedula No. 6157070 (Venezuela); Passport 083445280 (Venezuela) expires 29 Jan 2019; alt. Passport 022740782 (Venezuela) expires 24 May 2014; Former President of the Board of Directors of the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security (IVSS) (individual) [VENEZUELA].

Executive Order "Taking Additional Steps to Deal with the Situation in Venezuela" FAQs

564. For purposes of Executive Order (E.O.) "Taking Additional Steps to Deal with the Situation in Venezuela" of March 19 2018, are the “petro” and “petro-gold” considered a “digital currency, digital coin, or digital token” that was issued by, for, or on behalf of the Government of Venezuela on or after January 9, 2018?

Answer: Yes. [03-19-2018]

565. For purposes of E.O. "Taking Additional Steps to Deal with the Situation in Venezuela" of March 19, 2018, is Venezuela’s traditional fiat currency, bolivar fuerte, considered a “digital currency, digital coin, or digital token” that was issued by, for, or on behalf of the Government of Venezuela on or after January 9, 2018?

Answer: No. [03-19-2018]

566. I participated in the pre-sale for a Government of Venezuela-issued “digital currency, digital coin, or digital token” before E.O. "Taking Additional Steps to Deal with the Situation in Venezuela" of March 19, 2018, became effective. Am I allowed to sell, trade, use, or otherwise deal in such “digital currency, digital coin, or digital token” on or after the sanctions effective date?

Absent authorization from OFAC, U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions related to, providing financing for, and otherwise dealing in any “digital currency, digital coin, or digital token” that was issued by, for, or on behalf of the Government of Venezuela on or after January 9, 2018. OFAC would consider license applications involving Government of Venezuela-issued “digital currency, digital coin, or digital token” on a case-by-case basis and base licensing determinations on the facts and circumstances of the particular application. [03-19-2018]

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US Officially Bans Venezuela Cryptocurrency Petro
Latin American Herald Tribune
March 19, 2018

Executive Order on Taking Additional Steps to Address the Situation in Venezuela

Issued on: March 19, 2018

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,

I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, in order to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692 of March 8, 2015, and relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13808 of August 24, 2017, and in light of recent actions taken by the Maduro regime to attempt to circumvent U.S. sanctions by issuing a digital currency in a process that Venezuela’s democratically elected National Assembly has denounced as unlawful, hereby order as follows:

Section 1. (a) All transactions related to, provision of financing for, and other dealings in, by a United States person or within the United States, any digital currency, digital coin, or digital token, that was issued by, for, or on behalf of the Government of Venezuela on or after January 9, 2018, are prohibited as of the effective date of this order.

(b) The prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted before the effective date of this order.

Sec. 2. (a) Any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

(b) Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

Sec. 3. For the purposes of this order:

(a) the term “person” means an individual or entity;

(b) the term “entity” means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization;

(c) the term “United States person” means any United States citizen, permanent resident alien, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches of such entities), or any person within the United States; and

(d) the term “Government of Venezuela” means the Government of Venezuela, any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including the Central Bank of Venezuela and Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), and any person owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, the Government of Venezuela.

Sec. 4. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including promulgating rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to implement this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of these functions to other officers and executive departments and agencies of the United States Government. All agencies of the United States Government shall take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order.

Sec. 5. For those persons whose property and interests in property are affected by this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures taken pursuant to this order would render those measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692, there need be no prior notice given for implementation of this order.

Sec. 6. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

Sec. 7. This order is effective at 12:15 p.m. eastern daylight time on March 19, 2018.

DONALD J. TRUMP