On June 4, 2019, the Trump Administration formally implemented its previously announced intent to tighten its Cuban sanctions program. Specifically, on April 17, 2019 the Administration had announced that in response to Cuba’s alleged role in “destabilizing” activities throughout Latin America, particularly in Venezuela and Nicaragua, it would terminate aspects of the relaxations, primarily related
Latin America Regional Recap: January and February
Crowell & Moring’s Latin America Practice publishes a Regional Recap each month to highlight some of the most relevant news and trends from the region impacting international trade and investment.
To learn more about each issue, please click on the hyperlink below.
PROSUR: Chile to Host First Summit for New South American Union Next Month
Following Colombia’s official withdrawal from the intergovernmental regional organization UNASUR (Union of South American Nations), Colombian President Iván Duque announced on January 14 the creation of a new union called PROSUR. President Duque explained that PROSUR would function as an organization for regional coordination and cooperation of public policy, defense of democracy, promotion of the
Podcast: The State of Play in Venezuela
Updates about the current situation in Venezuela have been coming in rapidly. Recently, we wrote about OFAC adding PdVSA to the SDN list. In this podcast, Crowell & Moring’s Cari Stinebower, Eduardo Mathison, and Mariana Pendás provide an overview of recent developments in Venezuela and explain what U.S. companies need to know about how
Latest Information on OFAC General Licenses and FAQs Related to Designation of PdVSA
On January 31 and February 1, 2019, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) amended two General Licenses (GLs) relating to the January 28, 2019 designation of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), amended two Venezuela-related Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and issued thirteen new FAQs.
The
All or Nothing? OFAC Adds PdVSA to the SDN List
On January 28, 2019, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850 – “Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela”. Further, OFAC amended General License 3, issued eight (8) new General Licenses, and published a
New Law Puts Nicaragua in the Cross-Hairs of Potential U.S. Financial Restrictions and Possible Additional Sanctions
On December 20, 2018, President Trump signed into law the Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act of 2018 (NICA Act). The sanctions listed in the NICA Act are additional and would be complementary to the current sanctions that have already been imposed on Nicaragua by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
U.S. Targets Gov’t of Venezuela and PDVSA with New Factoring Sanctions
On May 21, President Trump issued a new Executive Order (E.O.) “Prohibiting Certain Additional Transactions with Respect to Venezuela.” The new E.O. targets the Venezuelan Government’s ability to factor receivables and liquidate equity interest in exchange for cash.
The E.O. prohibits U.S. persons or persons within the United States from all transactions related
Venezuela Update: Florida Divestment and New Measures in Panama and Switzerland
The last week of March has brought new measures against Maduro’s regime from the U.S., Europe, and Latin-America. While Switzerland has aligned with European Union (EU) sanctions, Panama has included Venezuelan government officials and several companies in their Politically Exposed Persons’ (PEPs) list. The State of Florida has also enacted divestment laws targeting Venezuela.
Florida
PODCAST: Venezuela and Cross-Border Issues
Venezuela has frequently been in the news lately, not only because of domestic politics, but also because of sanctions and bribery enforcement actions brought by U.S. authorities. In this podcast, Crowell & Moring’s Cari Stinebower, Dalal Hasan, Eduardo Mathison, and Mariana Pendás provide an overview of recent political and enforcement developments in Venezuela and explain