Treasury targets government officials as humanitarian aid is prevented from entering Venezuela

Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four officials aligned with the illegitimate regime of former President Nicolas Maduro. This action, taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, targets the Governors of four Venezuelan states involved in endemic corruption and in blocking the delivery of critical humanitarian aid, thereby exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the illegitimate Maduro regime.

“The illegitimate Maduro regime’s attempts to blockade international aid intended for the Venezuelan people are shameful. Treasury is targeting four state governors aligned with former President Maduro for standing in the way of severely needed humanitarian assistance and prolonging the suffering of the Venezuelan people,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “The United States fully supports the efforts of Interim President Juan Guaidó to address the endemic corruption, human rights abuses, and violent repression that has become the hallmark of the illegitimate Maduro regime, and looks forward to the restoration of a democratically elected government for the people of Venezuela.”

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of these individuals, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by these individuals, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons.

U.S. sanctions need not be permanent; sanctions are intended to bring about a positive change of behavior. The United States has made clear that the removal of sanctions is available for persons designated under E.O. 13692 or E.O. 13850 who take concrete and meaningful actions to restore democratic order, refuse to take part in human rights abuses, speak out against abuses committed by the former Maduro regime, and combat corruption in Venezuela.

The following four individuals designated today have been determined to be current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela:



• Omar Jose Prieto Fernandez (Prieto) is the Governor of Zulia State, Venezuela, a position he has held since December 2017. Zulia, located in northwestern Venezuela on the border with Colombia, is known as a hub for organized crime, where narcotics trafficking and murder-for-hire is commonplace. Sophisticated and prolific criminal structures exist throughout Zulia State, penetrating even the border police force under Prieto’s governorship, as several border police officers and the local Zulia police unit have come under investigation for their roles in drug and illegal weapons trafficking. As the Venezuelan people suffer from a lack of access to daily essentials, on February 12, 2019, Prieto threatened to visit the homes of opposition leaders who permitted access to humanitarian aid in Venezuela. Additionally, in response to mass protests, Prieto recently threatened to declare Venezuela’s “oil state” of Zulia independent should a new transition government take power in Venezuela. Known for its massive oil fields below Lake Maracaibo, Zulia is amongst the highest energy-consuming states in Venezuela, but has been experiencing severe electricity shortages, leading to electricity rationing in the midst of the ever-worsening humanitarian crisis.

• Ramon Alonso Carrizalez Rengifo (Carrizalez) is the Governor of Apure State, Venezuela, a state along Venezuela’s border with Colombia. Carrizalez was the Vice President of Venezuela from 2008 to early January 2010, as well as the Minister of Defense from 2009 to early January 2010. As of January 2019, there have been growing, massive presences of military and police forces in the streets throughout Apure State, threatening violence and attacking protestors. Carrizalez is accused of endorsing this blatant repression of democratic actors. In 2014, Carrizalez said that Apure State is infested with drug gangs, and that he believed that ranches along the border of Apure were involved in money laundering.

• Jorge Luis Garcia Carneiro (Garcia) is the Governor of Vargas State, Venezuela, a position he has held since 2008. Garcia was previously the head of the Venezuelan Army from January 2003 to January 2004, then became the Minister of Defense and held that position until December 2006. Additionally, Garcia was a former Minister for Social Development and Popular Participation. As of January 2019, Garcia rejected Juan Guaidó’s position as the Interim President of Venezuela. Garcia said that the people of Vargas State will continue the fight and stay in the streets to show support for former-President Maduro.

• Rafael Alejandro Lacava Evangelista (Lacava) is the Governor of Carabobo State, Venezuela, a position he has held since October 2017. Lacava formerly served as Mayor of Puerto Cabello, the municipality that is home to Venezuela’s largest port, and was previously the Venezuelan Ambassador to Italy, a position he was appointed to in February 2007. Lacava has long been a friend and significant intermediary of former-President Maduro, and continues to act on his behalf. In early 2018, Lacava was accused of hiding funds in Switzerland and Andorra.

For information about the methods that Venezuelan senior political figures, their associates, and front persons use to move and hide corrupt proceeds, including how they try to exploit the U.S. financial system and real estate market, please refer to FinCEN’s advisories FIN-2017-A006, “Advisory on Widespread Public Corruption in Venezuela,” and FIN-2017-A003, “Advisory to Financial Institutions and Real Estate Firms and Professionals.”



####</s>The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday sanctioned three governors of four Venezuelan states who are aligned with embattled President Nicolás Maduro. Those states are active in blocking humanitarian aid into the country.

“The United States does not like to use military force unless it is absolutely necessary. But military force is being used in Venezuela today,” former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela, Otto Reich, told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney. “The Venezuelans are hungry and they are sick because of the policies of that government, which has become a military government.”

Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Bogota, Colombia where he met with Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaidó to discuss a possible use of military force to oust the country's disputed president.

Former Ambassador Reich said that the vice president will be meeting with the Lima Group, a multilateral body with representatives from 12 countries, to discuss what’s next for Venezuela.

“They’re all in agreement that the government of Venezuela, under Maduro, ended on the 10th of January, according to their own constitution. So Maduro is presiding over an illegitimate government.”

Reich added that the Secretary General of the Organization of American States has said Venezuela is under military occupation by a foreign country, Cuba.

“It’s the Cubans that are managing the repression in Venezuela. They’re giving the orders,” he said on “Varney & Co.” on Monday.

At least five people are dead after violent clashes on the border between Venezuela and Colombia after the Venezuelan military blocked aid from crossing into the country.

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Hundreds of people were injured when after Venezuela's National Guard fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters over the weekend, according to Colombia's Foreign Minister.

Pence told the Lima Group the United States will continue to stand with Guaidó until “freedom is restored” in Venezuela.</s>The Treasury Department announced Monday that it was imposing new sanctions on four Venezuelan governors connected to beleaguered President Nicolas Maduro’s government — blocking any assets they control in the US.

“The illegitimate Maduro regime’s attempts to blockade international aid intended for the Venezuelan people are shameful,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

“Treasury is targeting four state governors aligned with former President Maduro for standing in the way of severely needed humanitarian assistance and prolonging the suffering of the Venezuelan people.”

The four officials are involved in “endemic corruption” and “blocking the delivery of critical humanitarian aid, thereby exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the illegitimate Maduro regime,” the department said.

The new round of sanctions comes as Vice President Mike Pence and Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó met in Bogota, Colombia, with members of the Lima Group, a bloc of nations from Argentina to Canada dedicated to the resolution of the Venezuelan crisis.

“We are with you 100 percent,” Pence said ahead of the start of the meeting. “I want to assure you, President Guaidó, the tragic events of this past weekend have only steeled the resolve of the United States to stand with you … We will keep standing until your libertad is restored.”

Earlier this month, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control ramped up sanctions on Maduro’s intelligence services and management of the state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela.

Sanctions were imposed on two governors who head states along the Colombian border.

Omar Jose Prieto Fernandez is governor of Zulia, which Treasury described as a hub for organized crime, where drug trafficking and murder-for-hire is rampant.

On Feb. 12, Prieto threatened to visit the homes of opposition leaders who permitted access to humanitarian aid in Venezuela. He also recently threatened to declare Venezuela’s “oil state” of Zulia independent should a new transition government take power.

Ramon Alonso Carrizalez Rengifo, the governor of Apure and former defense minister, had “endorsed” threats of violence against opposition protesters, the department said.

Also sanctioned were Jorge Luis Garcia Carneiro, the governor of Vargas and also a former defense minister, who has rejected Guaidó as interim president, and Rafael Alejandro Lacava Evangelista, the governor of Carabobo whom Treasury described as a Maduro intermediary involved in hiding funds overseas.</s>We are sorry, you need to be a subscriber to watch this video

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The Trump administration has imposed fresh sanctions on the government of President Maduro as Mike Pence, the US vice-president, discussed the crisis in Venezuela with regional leaders.

Four individuals who are supporters of Mr Maduro’s government have been sanctioned and will have their foreign assets frozen by the US Treasury, the department announced today.

The sanctioned individuals were the former Venezuelan vice president Ramón Carrizales; Jorge García Carneiro, a former defence minister, and Rafael Lacava and Omar Prieto, two Socialist Party officials.

President Trump had hinted in a speech on Venezuela last week that sanctions targeting Mr Maduro’s most powerful supporters would be forthcoming. “We know who they are and we know where they keep the billions of dollars they have stolen,” Mr Trump said.</s>BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - President Trump is calling on the nation's governors to cooperate with the White House.

As NewsChannel 34's Mark Meredith says the President met with governors from both parties today before leaving the country for a North Korean summit...</s>The U.S. has announced new sanctions against Venezuela as critical humanitarian aid is blocked from getting into the country.

On Monday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the sanctions are targeting four Venezuelan governors. The officials are assisting the Maduro regime with the blockade, which is causing the people of Venezuela to suffer. Mnuchin claimed the governors are involved in “endemic corruption,” and said their actions are shameful.

Earlier this month, the U.S. sanctioned a top oil executive and several Venezuelan intelligence officials for alleged human rights violations. Mnuchin said the officials are responsible for corruption as well as suppressing Venezuela’s democracy.

Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence met with Venezuelan interim President Juan Guiado and Colombian President Ivan Duque in Colombia Monday after a weekend of violence at the border between the two countries.

The vice president thanked Duque for convening a gathering of Latin American countries at a “critical time for freedom in Venezuela.” He said he was sent by the president to stand with America’s friends and allies in the embattled country, and told Guaido the president is with him “100-percent.”

Pence is scheduled to meet with Venezuelan migrant families in Colombia before returning to Washington, D.C.</s>The United States Treasury Department has imposed fresh sanctions on Venezuelan officials amid the political and economic crisis in the country. The list this time includes four individuals.

US Vice President Mike Pence is currently attending talks of the regional Lima Group states in Bogota. He is expected to declare the next US steps against Maduro and his government.

The new punitive measures were issued just hours after Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza blamed the current political and economic problems that Caracas is facing on the US financial blockade and warfare.

READ MORE: Caracas Accuses US of Economic Blockade, Warfare Against Venezuela

Prior to that, Guaido declared himself the country's "interim president" and the United States immediately recognized him as such. About 50 other countries has followed their example, while Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia and a number of other states have voiced their support the legitimate government of Maduro.

Maduro qualified Guaido's move as an attempt to stage a coup. In one of his latest statements, Maduro stressed that he was not going to back down, saying that he "is governing Venezuela and will continue governing it".

READ MORE: US Attempt to Deliver Aid to Venezuela 'Timed to Try to Pressure Maduro' — Prof.

In the meantime, the situation in the country is very explosive amid clashes between police and protesters on Venezuela's borders with Colombia and Brazil, which prompted Caracas to announce they would close the border with Brazil and three bridges connecting Colombia and Venezuela, as well as shut the border with neighbouring island nations and suspend air traffic.</s>The United States has targeted Venezuela's government with new sanctions and called on allies to freeze the assets of its state-owned oil company PDVSA.

It follows deadly violence that blocked aid from reaching the crisis-hit country during the weekend.

The US also took its pressure campaign to the United Nations Security Council, asking that body to discuss the situation in Venezuela, diplomats said.

The US Treasury Department's sanctions were imposed on Monday on four Venezuelan state governors allied with the government of embattled President Nicolas Maduro, blocking any assets they control in the United States.

The new sanctions were announced in Bogota as US Vice President Mike Pence and opposition leader Juan Guaido met with members of the Lima Group, a bloc of nations from Argentina to Canada dedicated to peaceful resolution of the Venezuelan crisis.

Pence said the United States would stand by Guaido until freedom was restored to the OPEC member. He called for all Lima Group nations to immediately freeze PDVSA's assets and to transfer ownership of Venezuelan assets in their countries from Maduro's "henchmen" to Guaido's government-in-waiting.

He also said tougher measures were coming.

"In the days ahead ... the United States will announce even stronger sanctions on the regime's corrupt financial networks," Pence said. "We will work with all of you to find every last dollar that they stole and work to return it to Venezuela."

Washington wants the 15-member UN Security Council to formally call for free, fair and credible presidential elections with international observers. Russia, which along with China has major investments in Venezuela's energy sector and back Maduro, proposed a rival draft resolution.

Violence escalated during the weekend when the convoy of trucks with food and medicines was blocked by soldiers and armed groups loyal to Maduro. He says the aid efforts are part of a US-orchestrated coup against Venezuela.

Four people have been killed, 58 have suffered bullet wounds and at least 32 arrested in unrest since Friday, local rights group Penal Forum said in a press conference.</s>The head of the United Nations condemned violence that took place this weekend at the hands of the security in Venezuela as the United States imposed fresh sanctions on the Maduro regime.

At least four protesters were killed and a further 300 were injured this weekend when security forces attempted to block the entry of U.S. emergency aid across the border from Colombia and Brazil, as Venezuela slides deeper into one of the world’s most pressing humanitarian crises.

“The Secretary-General is following with increasing concern the escalation of tensions in Venezuela,” said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the Secretary-General António Guterres. “He was shocked and saddened to learn that a number of civilians lost their lives in the context of yesterday’s events.”

“[Guterres] appeals for violence to be avoided at any cost and for lethal force not to be used in any circumstances,” the statement continued. “[He also] appeals for calm and urges all actors to lower tensions and pursue every effort to prevent further escalation.

Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who now serves the U.N.’s high commissioner for human rights, criticized the Venezuelan military for their excessive use of force as well as the involvement of various far-left militias.

“The Venezuelan government must stop its forces from using excessive force against unarmed protesters and ordinary citizens,” she said. “People have been shot and killed, others have reportedly received wounds from which they will never completely recover, including losing eyes.”

“The use of proxy forces has a long and sinister history in the region,” she continued. “It is very alarming to see them operating openly in this way in Venezuela.”

On Monday, Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Colombia to meet with the country’s leader Ivan Duque as well as opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who the U.S. and the majority of other western nations recognize as Venezuela’s legitimate president.

At the meeting, Pence reiterated the administration’s position “all options are on the table” to remove Maduro from power, and called on other regional allies to step up their isolation of the socialist regime.

Meanwhile, the Treasury Department announced fresh sanctions against senior Maduro allies who were involved in blocking the entry of humanitarian aid as well as other high-ranking military personnel. Last month, Washington imposed major sanctions against the socialist regime by blocking the purchase of Venezuelan oil by American companies and freezing all the assets of the state-owned company Petroleum of Venezuela (PDSVA) in the United States.

Such measures have already been backed by Germany, whose Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Adebahr indicated on Monday are “in favor of sanctions targeting Maduro and people immediately close to him specifically and that do not make the lives of Venezuelan citizens worse.”

Follow Ben Kew on Facebook, Twitter at @ben_kew, or email him at bkew@breitbart.com.</s>Governor Pete Ricketts issued a statement following news that President Donald J. Trump had appointed him to serve as a member of the Council of Governors.

“I am honored to be appointed by President Trump to serve on the Council of Governors. I look forward to representing Nebraska as I work with the President and fellow Governors on national defense priorities.”
The United States Department of the Treasury imposes sanctions on governors of four states of Venezuela, all of them members of the ruling United Socialist Party.