The U.S. Treasury’s sanctions target members of Nicolás Maduro’s inner circle, linked businessmen, and shipping firms tied to Venezuela’s oil trade, amid accusations of drug trafficking, deceptive shipping and attempts to shield assets from accountability.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced penalties this week aimed at choking off funds that allegedly sustain Maduro’s regime. The move names three nephews connected to Maduro’s wife, a businessman with ties to state oil, and six shipping firms accused of masking oil movements.
“Nicolas Maduro and his criminal associates in Venezuela are flooding the United States with drugs that are poisoning the American people,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote in a statement. “These sanctions undo the Biden Administration’s failed attempt to make a deal with Maduro, enabling his dictatorial and brutal control at the expense of the Venezuelan and American people. Under President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, Treasury is holding the regime and its circle of cronies and companies accountable for its continued crimes.” These were not fuzzy accusations but blunt political and law enforcement language from Treasury.
Two of the men singled out, Efrain Antonio Campo Flores and Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas, were arrested in Port-au-Prince in 2015 while allegedly finalizing a plan to move hundreds of kilograms of cocaine to the United States. They were convicted a year later on narco-trafficking charges, marking them as notorious figures in U.S. prosecutions.
Both men received clemency in October 2022 under President Joe Biden, returned to Venezuela, and officials now say they have resumed involvement in illicit trafficking. OFAC also designated Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, who had been linked to senior roles in Venezuela’s finances and PDVSA, and whose designation status was once altered during past negotiations.
Thanks to @POTUS’ leadership, the U.S. is holding accountable Maduro’s narco-nephews and @USTreasury is sanctioning them for their illicit activities that hurt Americans and destabilize our entire region,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in a statement on . The inclusion of Rubio’s remark underscores the political stakes and the Republican framing of the enforcement action.
Six shipping companies were also targeted: Myra Marine Limited, Arctic Voyager Incorporated, Poweroy Investment Limited, Ready Great Limited, Sino Marine Services Limited, and Full Happy Limited. Authorities accuse these firms of loading Venezuelan oil and using tactics to hide shipments, including manipulating tracking transmissions.
OFAC additionally identified six vessels it says engaged in deceptive and unsafe practices, noting that such maneuvers can mask destinations and ownership, and funnel revenue back to the regime. Those vessels, the agency alleges, help keep cash flowing to officials and intermediaries who benefit from Venezuela’s oil exports.
The sanctions come against a backdrop of concern that past negotiations and policy choices allowed key actors to slip free and return to power circles. Republicans argue this action is overdue and necessary to stop criminal networks from exploiting diplomatic openings and continuing schemes that harm Americans and neighbors in the region.
Sustained enforcement will test whether secondary networks of brokers, shipping front companies, and complicit vessels can be dismantled or merely reroute their business. The Treasury move is a hard-line tactic aimed at financial choke points, and it signals a willingness to press on multiple fronts rather than settle for provisional arrangements.
Darnell Thompkins is a conservative opinion writer from Atlanta, GA, known for his insightful commentary on politics, culture, and community issues. With a passion for championing traditional values and personal responsibility, Darnell brings a thoughtful Southern perspective to the national conversation. His writing aims to inspire meaningful dialogue and advocate for policies that strengthen families and empower individuals.