EO 13850

Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela

Signed: November 1, 2018

Published: November 2, 2018

Document Number: 2018-24254

📋Summary

This executive order expands U.S. sanctions related to Venezuela by allowing the U.S. government to freeze (block) the U.S.-connected property and assets of additional people and organizations tied to corruption or harmful activities involving the Venezuelan government. It affects individuals and entities determined to operate in Venezuela’s gold sector (and any other sector later named), to engage in or support corruption or deceptive dealings with Venezuelan government projects, to assist already-sanctioned persons, or to be owned or controlled by them (including certain adult family members). It bars U.S. persons (including U.S. citizens, permanent residents, U.S. companies, and anyone in the United States) from doing business with these designated parties, including providing or receiving funds, goods, or services, and it prohibits attempts to evade the restrictions. It also suspends entry into the United States for people designated under these criteria and authorizes the Treasury Department (with the State Department) to issue rules and licenses to carry out and enforce these measures.

💼Business Impact

This order expands U.S. sanctions risk around Venezuela by blocking the property of designated individuals/entities tied to corruption and specifically the **gold sector** (and any other sectors Treasury later names), so the most affected businesses are **banks/payment processors, commodities and precious-metals traders/refiners, mining and logistics firms, exporters/importers, and any company doing business with Venezuelan government-linked counterparties**. Compliance impact: U.S. persons must **freeze/stop dealings** with any designated party and are prohibited from providing or receiving **funds, goods, or services** (including indirect support), so firms should strengthen **OFAC screening, beneficial-ownership checks, and supply-chain due diligence** for Venezuela-related transactions and be prepared to use **OFAC licenses** where applicable. Immediate actions: **audit current customers/vendors/shipments for Venezuela exposure (especially gold/mining), update contracts to allow termination for sanctions, implement enhanced transaction monitoring for red flags (government projects, intermediaries, unusual payment routes), and train sales/procurement** to escalate any Venezuela-linked deal before execution. There may also be an opportunity for compliance-focused firms (banks, insurers, logistics) to offer **enhanced sanctions/KYC services** to clients

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Full Text

Executive Order 13850 of November 1, 2018

Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela

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.), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)) (INA), the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-278), as amended (the Venezuelan Defense of Human Rights Act), 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, Executive Order 13827 of March 19, 2018, and Executive Order 13835 of May 21, 2018, particularly in light of actions by the Maduro regime and associated persons to plunder Venezuela's wealth for their own corrupt purposes, degrade Venezuela's infrastructure and natural environment through economic mismanagement and confiscatory mining and industrial practices, and catalyze a regional migration crisis by neglecting the basic needs of the Venezuelan people, hereby order as follows:

Section 1 . (a) All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State:

(i) to operate in the gold sector of the Venezuelan economy or in any other sector of the Venezuelan economy as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State;

(ii) to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged in, any transaction or series of transactions involving deceptive practices or corruption and the Government of Venezuela or projects or programs administered by the Government of Venezuela, or to be an immediate adult family member of such a person;

(iii) to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, any activity or transaction described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section, or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or

(iv) to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to 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 prior to the date of this order. ( printed page 55244)

Sec. 2 . The unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of aliens determined to meet one or more of the criteria in subsection 1(a) of this order would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and the entry of such persons into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, is therefore hereby suspended. Such persons shall be treated as persons covered by section 1 of Proclamation 8693 of July 24, 2011 (Suspension of Entry of Aliens Subject to United Nations Security Council Travel Bans and International Emergency Economic Powers Act Sanctions).

Sec. 3 . I hereby determine that the making of donations of the type of articles specified in section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(2)) by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to section 1 of this order would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692, and I hereby prohibit such donations as provided by section 1 of this order.

Sec. 4 . The prohibitions in section 1 of this order include:

(a) the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; and

(b) the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

Sec. 5 . (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. 6 . 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, lawful permanent resident, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States;

(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 any person owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, the Government of Venezuela.

Sec. 7 . For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to 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 or to the Government of Venezuela of measures to be 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 of a listing or determination made pursuant to section 1 of this order.

Sec. 8 . 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 within the Department of the Treasury. All agencies of the United States Government shall take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order.

Sec. 9 . The Secretary of State is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA, the INA, and section 5 of the ( printed page 55245) Venezuela Defense of Human Rights Act, including the authorities set forth in sections 5(b)(1)(B), 5(c), and 5(d) of that Act, as may be necessary to carry out section 2 of this order and the relevant provisions of section 5 of that Act. The Secretary of State may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of these functions within the Department of State.

Sec. 10 . (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) 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.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

November 1, 2018.

[FR Doc. 2018-24254

Filed 11-1-18; 2:00 pm]

Billing code 3295-F9-P

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