Venezuela-related Designations; Issuance of Venezuela-related General Licenses and Frequently Asked Questions

Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating Banco de Desarrollo Economico y Social de Venezuela (BANDES), and any entity in which BANDES owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850 as amended by E.O. 13857, for operating in the financial sector of the Venezuelan economy, following a determination by Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin, in consultation with Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, that persons operating in Venezuela's financial sector may be subject to sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13850 as amended by E.O. 13857. In addition, OFAC is amending General License 4 - "Authorizing New Debt Transactions and Transactions involving Certain Banks Related to the Exportation or Reexportation of Agricultural Commodities, Medicine, Medical Devices, or Replacement Parts and Components," and issuing the following four new Venezuela-related general licenses in connection with this designation: General License 15 - "Authorizing Transactions Involving Certain Banks Prohibited by Executive Order 13850 for Certain Entities," General License 16 - "Authorizing Maintenance of U.S. Person Accounts and Noncommercial, Personal Remittances involving Certain Banks," General License 17 - "Authorizing Certain Activities Necessary to Wind Down of Operations or Existing Contracts with Certain Banks," and General License 18 - "Authorizing Certain Transactions Involving Integracion Administradora de Fondos de Ahorro Previsional, S.A. ." OFAC has also issued two FAQs related to today's action. In addition, OFAC has updated its SDN list