Ahead of a Constituent Assembly that could re-write the Venezuelan Constitution and dissolve state institutions, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated 13 current and former Venezuelan government officials. According to the Treasury announcement, the designations focus on current and former officials of Venezuelan Government agencies “associated with the elections or the undermining of democracy, as well as the government’s rampant violence against opposition protesters and its corruption.” As a result of the actions, all assets of these individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and U.S. persons are prohibited from dealing with them. The Treasury designations were taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692 of March 2015, which authorizes sanctions against officials of the Government of Venezuela and others undermining democracy there. U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin warned that anyone elected to the National Constituent Assembly could be targeted for designation.
