President Trump has used tariffs as a significant point of geopolitical leverage since the beginning of his second term. Indeed, his administration dubbed April 2, 2025 “Liberation Day” in honor of a sweeping set of tariffs...more
On 24 March 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14245 authorizing Secretary of State Marco Rubio to impose a 25 percent tariff on all goods imported into the United States from any country that directly or indirectly...more
The dynamic pace of early policymaking by the new U.S. administration has continued into the spring of 2025, including in the context of sanctions on Venezuela. While Venezuela is not, and has not been, subject to...more
To combat Venezuela’s destabilizing actions and support for illicit activities, the Secretary of State in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the...more
On 24 March 2025, the White House issued an Executive Order threatening to impose a 25% tariff on all goods imported into the United States from any country that imports Venezuelan oil directly or indirectly through third...more
On April 2 — labeled “Liberation Day” by President Trump — the Trump administration is set to add a new sanctions-like boost to its tariff strategy, with a threat to impose unprecedented “secondary tariffs” of 25% on “all...more
The tariff landscape continues to shift. On April 2, 2025, the current pause on tariffs for many Mexican and Canadian imports is set to expire, while tariffs on all countries importing Venezuelan oil are set to take effect....more
On March 24, 2025, President Trump, pursuant to 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.), and section 301 of title 3, United...more
In a show of support for Venezuelan Interim President Juan Guaidó last week, and in opposition to the Maduro regime, President Trump issued Executive Order 13884, which imposes blocking sanctions on the Government of...more
In this episode, Akin Gump public law and policy senior advisor and former U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and international trade partner Nnedi Ifudu discuss U.S. sanctions on Venezuela. Among the topics covered: • the...more
Continued political turmoil in Venezuela has led to additional U.S. sanctions. On Jan. 25, 2019, President Donald Trump amended the various executive orders that authorize sanctions against the government of Venezuela to...more
On January 28, 2019, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List). PdVSA...more
Venezuela is undergoing a political upheaval. Since his rise to power in 2013, the embattled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has precipitated a humanitarian crisis that has driven some 3 million Venezuelans to flee...more
• On January 28, 2019, OFAC added the Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural gas company PdVSA to its SDN List. • As a result, U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with PdVSA and entities that...more
Overview - In a major expansion of U.S. sanctions against Venezuela, the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), named Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (“PdVSA”)—Venezuela’s state-owned oil and...more
As part of the U.S. strategy to isolate the Maduro regime in Venezuela and support Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated Venezuela’s...more
• Pursuant to Executive Order 13850 (E.O. 13850), the U.S. Department of the Treasury's (Treasury) Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), effectively blocking PdVSA's property...more
Russia remained at the forefront this quarter, as the Trump Administration imposed new measures and markets reacted to the threat of additional, “crushing” sanctions from Congress on Russian sovereign debt. Meanwhile, EU...more
• President Donald Trump has issued a new Executive Order expanding existing sanctions against the government of Venezuela and its instrumentalities, including the state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela (PdVSA). ...more
ANTICORRUPTION DEVELOPMENTS – Canadian Mining Company Settles with SEC over FCPA Charges – On March 26, Kinross Gold Corporation settled with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over its alleged failure to...more
Last week, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order banning “all transactions” and “dealings” by any individual or entity in the United States that involve “any digital currency, digital coin, or digital token” issued...more
On January 19, 2018, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in response to a question, warned that a U.S. person’s acquisition of, or dealing in, a cryptocurrency that Venezuela intends to issue in the future may...more
On August 24, 2017, President Trump issued Executive Order 13808 (“E.O. 13808” or the “Executive Order”) titled “Imposing Additional Sanctions With Respect to the Situation in Venezuela.” The Executive Order prohibits certain...more