Treasury Targets Oil Traders Engaged in Sanctions Evasion for Maduro Regime

January 2, 2026

Treasury - Press Release

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned four companies for operating in Venezuela’s oil sector and identified four associated oil tankers as blocked property.  These vessels, some of which are part of the shadow fleet serving Venezuela, continue to provide financial resources that fuel Maduro’s illegitimate narco-terrorist regime.  Maduro’s regime increasingly depends on a shadow fleet of worldwide vessels to facilitate sanctionable activity, including sanctions evasion, and to generate revenue for its destabilizing operations. Today’s action further signals that those involved in the Venezuelan oil trade continue to face significant sanctions risks.

“President Trump has been clear: We will not allow the illegitimate Maduro regime to profit from exporting oil while it floods the United States with deadly drugs,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “The Treasury Department will continue to implement President Trump’s campaign of pressure on Maduro’s regime.”

NO LONGER FUELING THE MADURO REGIME 

On January 28, 2019, OFAC designated Venezuela’s state-run oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850 for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy, and on August 5, 2019, President Trump took additional action to block PDVSA pursuant to E.O. 13884. Today’s sanctions complement other recent OFAC actions taken against the Maduro regime, including sanctions against PDVSA-linked officials, associates, and vessels on December 11 and December 19.  The following entities are being sanctioned today, and four vessels are being blocked for being property in which these entities have an interest: See full news release: 

Source: https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0348