For a while I've been on the fence about the whole Venezuela thing, whether there's something else going or is it really a standard regime change operation. Now, I'm getting off the fence. There are a lot of things that the US government does poorly. Regime change operations are clearly not one of them and have been deadly effective. This one has appeared very "Keystone Cops", however, so I must look at what other aims it could have. The appearance of Chinese military in VZ, at the invitation of Maduro, is a big clue and fits with the ongoing narrative of "Trump" driving other countries into the arms of China, which is also a key point toward perception management of how the dollar loses global reserve standard. IOW, the people of VZ embrace the Chinese as their savior from the big bad US that's hell bent on toppling their beloved Maduro. Regime change ops are really much more about controlling the perceptions of the populations of those countries via control of the leaders. Topple the leader, replace with a puppet, then have puppet sell the new paradigm to the population...important since the oil ain't gonna pump itself or the gold won't dig itself out of the mine. In the instance of VZ, the proposed puppet isn't ideologically different than the current leader so one must ask what the point is?
I know one thing... The idea that we created their issues is false. They did it to themselves before we got involved. Important to note the timeline with it all.
Amid Food Shortages, Severe Rationing Has Been Mandated In Communist/Socialist-Run Countries - Americans Need To Learn From These Examples
"Too many Americans seem to think that for a thriving nation to reach the status of crisis, suffering from shortages of food, medical supplies and basics including toilet paper, it would take decades of failed policies, but Venezuela teaches us that a nation considered to be the "richest nation in South America" can fall so hard and so fast that in a matter just a few short years, they are in full crisis mode.
The political unrest in Venezuela aside, in 2014 Venezuela was considered one of Latin America’s fastest-rising economies, as shown the screen shot graph below from the World Bank group."
"Note - While many of the blame America first crowd claims their troubles began when the U.S. sanctioned them, so it is Americas fault, that is a revisionist history, because the first sanctions against Venezuela were announced against individual persons, not the nation as a whole, and that wasn't until the end of 2014, after the catastrophic collapse had already begun.
See full list of Venezuela sanctions here.
https://www.state.gov/e/eb/tfs/spi/venezuela/#
How does a thriving nation collapse that fast? In 1998 Hugo Chavez was elected and over the next decade went on a massive "social spending" spree, redirecting oil profits "To finance educational, health, food, and housing programs for a population of over 30 million, the government redirected oil profits to address pressing social inequality," according to Miguel R. Tinker Salas, professor of Latin American studies and history at Pomona College in California."
http://allnewspipeline.com/Food_Shortages_Rationing_Cuba_NK_VZ.php
Venezuela-Related Sanctions
https://www.state.gov/e/eb/tfs/spi/venezuela/#
Venezuela-Related Sanctions, Department of the Treasury
Remarks and Releases
05/10/19 The United States Sanctions Venezuela's Defense and Security Sector; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
05/10/19 Treasury Identifies the Venezuelan Defense and Security Sector as Subject to Sanctions and Further Targets Venezuelan Oil Moving to Cuba
04/26/19 The United States Sanctions Maduro-Aligned Individuals; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
04/26/19 Treasury Sanctions Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs
04/17/19 Treasury Sanctions Central Bank of Venezuela and Director of the Central Bank of Venezuela
04/17/19 The United States Sanctions the Central Bank of Venezuela; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
04/12/19 The United States Takes Action To End Cuba's Malign Influence on Venezuela; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
04/12/19 Treasury Increases Pressure on Cuba to End Support to Maduro by Imposing Further Oil Sector Sanctions
04/05/19 The United States Sanctions Companies Enabling Shipment of Venezuelan Oil to Cuba; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
04/05/19 Treasury Sanctions Companies Operating in the Oil Sector of the Venezuelan Economy and Transporting Oil to Cuba
03/22/19 Treasury Sanctions BANDES, Venezuela's National Development Bank, and Subsidiaries, in Response to Illegal Arrest of Guaido Aide
03/22/19 The United States Sanctions Venezuela's State-affiliated Bank; Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino; Washington, DC
03/19/19 Sanctions Against Venezuelan Gold Sector; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
03/19/19 Treasury Sanctions Venezuela's State Gold Mining Company and its President for Propping Up Illegitimate Maduro Regime
03/11/19 The United States Tightens Sanctions on Venezuela by Targeting Russia-Based Bank; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
03/11/19 Treasury Sanctions Russia-based Bank Attempting to Circumvent U.S. Sanctions on Venezuela
03/06/19 White House Statement from the National Security Advisor Ambassador John Bolton
03/01/19 The United States Sanctions Illegitimate Maduro Regime Security Officials Associated With Violence and Obstruction of International Humanitarian Assistance; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
03/01/19 Briefing on Venezuela; U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams; Washington, DC
03/01/19 The United States Revokes U.S. Entry of Maduro-Aligned Individuals and Family; Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino; Washington, DC
03/01/19 Treasury Sanctions Security Officials Associated with Violence and Obstruction of Humanitarian Aid Delivery
02/23/19 Let Humanitarian Aid Into Venezuela; Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo; Washington, DC
02/22/19 The United States Pre-Positions Aid for Venezuelans on the Brazil-Venezuela Border; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
02/25/19 The United States Sanctions Governors of Venezuelan States Aligned With Maduro; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
02/25/19 Treasury Sanctions Governors of Venezuelan States Aligned with Maduro
02/15/19 U.S. Sanctions on Venezuelan Individuals and Entities; Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino; Washington, DC
02/15/19 Treasury Sanctions Officials Aligned with Former President Nicolas Maduro and Involved in Repression and Corruption
01/29/19 White House Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Supports the Venezuelan People's Efforts to Restore Democracy in Their Country
01/28/19 Sanctions Against PDVSA and Venezuela Oil Sector; Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo; Washington, DC
01/28/19 Treasury Sanctions Venezuela's State-Owned Oil Company Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A.
01/23/19 White House Statement From President Donald J. Trump Recognizing Venezuelan National Assembly President Juan Guaido as the Interim President of Venezuela
01/12/19 Ensuring Venezuela's Constitutional Order and Safety of Elected Officials; Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino; Washington, DC
01/08/19 Treasury Targets Venezuela Currency Exchange Network Scheme Generating Billions of Dollars for Corrupt Regime Insiders
12/18/18 Venezuela Fact Sheet
11/02/18 Remarks by National Security Advisor Ambassador John R. Bolton on the Administration's Policies in Latin America
09/25/18 The United States Imposes Sanctions on Venezuelan Individuals and Entities; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
09/25/18 Treasury Targets Venezuelan President Maduro's Inner Circle and Proceeds of Corruption in the United States
05/18/18 Treasury Targets Influential Former Venezuelan Official and His Corruption Network
03/19/18 Treasury Sanctions Four Current or Former Venezuelan Officials Associated with Economic Mismanagement and Corruption
01/05/18 Treasury Sanctions Four Venezuelan Government Officials Associated with Corruption and Oppression
11/09/17 Treasury Sanctions Ten Venezuelan Government Officials
08/09/17 Treasury Sanctions Eight Individuals Involved in Venezuela's Illegitimate Constituent Assembly
07/31/17 Treasury Sanctions the President of Venezuela
07/26/17 Treasury Sanctions 13 Current and Former Senior Officials of the Government of Venezuela
07/17/17 Statement from President Donald J. Trump
05/18/17 Treasury Sanctions Eight Members of Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice
03/09/15 Statement by the White House Press Secretary on Venezuela
03/09/15 White House Fact Sheet: Venezuela Executive Order
12/18/14 Statement by the White House Press Secretary: Bills Signed into Law
Executive Orders
Executive Order 13850 of November 1, 2018 "Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela"
Executive Order 13835 of May 21, 2018 "Prohibiting Certain Additional Transactions with Respect to Venezuela"
Executive Order 13827 of March 19, 2018 "Taking Additional Steps to Address the Situation in Venezuela"
Executive Order 13808 of August 24, 2017 "Imposing Additional Sanctions with Respect to the Situation in Venezuela"
Executive Order 13692 of March 8, 2015 "Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela"
Executive Order 13857 of January 28, 2019 "Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency With Respect to Venezuela"
Executive Order 13692 declares a national emergency with respect to the situation in Venezuela. The targeted sanctions in this Executive Order (E.O.) implement relevant provisions of the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014 signed into law on December 18, 2014, and also provide sanctions authority that goes beyond the requirements of the legislation. The E.O. provides authority to target persons involved in or responsible for the erosion of human rights guarantees, persecution of political opponents, curtailment of press freedoms, use of violence and human rights violations and abuses in response to antigovernment protests, and arbitrary arrest and detention of antigovernment protestors, as well as significant public corruption by senior government officials in the country. E.O. 13692 does not target the people or economy of Venezuela.
Executive Order 13808, among other things, prohibits transactions by a United States person or within the United States related to: certain new debt of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA); certain new debt or new equity of the Government of Venezuela; existing bonds issued by the Government of Venezuela prior to August 25, 2017; and dividend payments or other distributions of profits to the Government of Venezuela from any entity owned or controlled by the Government of Venezuela. In addition, E.O. 13808 prohibits the purchase by a U.S. person or within the United States of most securities from the Government of Venezuela.
Executive Order 13827 prohibits all transactions related to, provision of financing for, and other dealings in any digital currency, digital coin, or digital token issued by, for, or on behalf of the Government of Venezuela on or after January 9, 2018 wherein U.S. jurisdiction is implicated. The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) simultaneously issued frequently asked questions (#559-563) clarifying that compliance obligations are the same, regardless of whether a transaction is denominated in digital currency or a traditional fiat currency. OFAC also clarified that U.S. persons and persons otherwise subject to OFAC jurisdiction that facilitate or engage in online commerce or process transactions using digital currency are responsible for ensuring that they do not engage in unauthorized transactions prohibited by U.S. sanctions.
Executive Order 13835, among other things, prohibits transactions by a United States person or within the United States related to: the purchase of any debt owed to the Government of Venezuela (including PDVSA), such as but not limited to accounts receivable; any debt owed to the Government of Venezuela that is pledged as collateral after May 21, 2018; and the sale, transfer, assignment, or pledging as collateral by the Government of Venezuela of any equity interest in any entity in which it has a 50 percent or greater ownership interest. E.O. 13835 closes another avenue for corruption by denying the Venezuelan regime the ability to earn money by selling off public assets at “fire sale” prices at the expense of the Venezuelan people.
Executive Order 13850, among other things, authorizes the imposition of blocking sanctions on persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary, 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. Moreover, it authorizes the imposition of blocking sanctions on persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged in, any 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. On January 28, 2019, the Treasury Department, following from consultation with the Department of State, determined that persons operating in Venezuela’s oil sector may now be subject to sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13850. As of January 28, Treasury has designated PDVSA for operating within this sector. This action extends to entities that are majority (50% or greater) owned by PDVSA.
Executive Order 13857 recognizes the swearing-in of interim President Juan Guaido and amends the above-mentioned E.O.s to define “Government of Venezuela” to ensure that the Maduro regime remains the focus of our sanctions measures. The new definition includes the state and Government of Venezuela, any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including the Central Bank, PDVSA, and any person who has acted for or purported to act on behalf of, any of the foregoing, including as a member of the Maduro regime.
Legislation
7/15/2016 Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Extension Act of 2016
12/18/2014 Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014