WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is targeting Nicolas Maduro’s illegitimate regime in Venezuela, sanctioning three nephews of Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores; a Maduro-affiliated businessman; and six shipping companies operating in Venezuela’s oil sector. Additionally, OFAC is identifying six associated vessels that have engaged in deceptive and unsafe shipping practices and continue to provide financial resources that fuel Maduro’s corrupt narco-terrorist regime.
“Nicolas Maduro and his criminal associates in Venezuela are flooding the United States with drugs that are poisoning the American people,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “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 Trump’s leadership, Treasury is holding the regime and its circle of cronies and companies accountable for its continued crimes.”
REVERSING JOE BIDEN’S FAILED DEAL WITH VENEZUELA
Two of Cilia Flores’ nephews designated today, Efrain Antonio Campo Flores (Campo) and Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas (Flores de Freitas), are narco-traffickers operating in Venezuela. In November 2015, Campo and Flores de Freitas, known popularly as the “narco-nephews,” were arrested in Port-au-Prince, Haiti as they were finalizing a deal to transport hundreds of kilograms of cocaine to the United States. In November 2016, they were convicted on narco-trafficking charges but were granted clemency in October 2022 by President Joe Biden. Campo and Flores de Freitas returned to Venezuela and, as of 2025, have continued their drug trafficking activities.
OFAC is designating Campo and Flores de Freitas pursuant to E.O. 14059, for having engaged in or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production.
Carlos Erik Malpica Flores (Malpica), the third of Cilia Flores’ nephews designated today, and a former purported national treasurer of Venezuela and purported vice president of Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA), was designated in July 2017 but removed from OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List) in 2022 to promote the resumption of negotiations for an ultimately failed deal pursued by the Biden administration to return democratic elections to Venezuela. Maduro continues to deny democratic values in the country and refuses to recognize the will of the Venezuelan people, and thus it is in the foreign policy interest of the United States to continue to apply pressure to those tied to the Maduro regime. Accordingly, OFAC is redesignating Malpica, pursuant to E.O. 13692, for being a current or former official of the Government of Venezuela.
This action is just the latest Treasury effort targeting Maduro’s familial web of corruption, nepotism, and narco-trafficking. Malpica, Campo, and Flores de Freitas join Maduro, Cilia Flores, Maduro’s son Nicolas Maduro Guerra, and Cilia Flores’ three sons, Walter Gavidia Flores, Yosser Gavidia Flores, and Yoswal Gavidia Flores, on the SDN List.
Also targeted today is Ramon Carretero Napolitano (Carretero), a Panamanian businessman that has engaged in lucrative contracts with the Maduro regime and has had various business dealings with the Maduro-Flores family, including partnering in several companies together. Carretero has facilitated shipments of petroleum products on behalf of the Venezuelan government. OFAC is designating Carretero pursuant to E.O. 13850 for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy.
TREASURY RESUMES ACTIONS TO END SANCTIONS EVASION IN VENEZUELA’S OIL SECTOR
Today’s action also targets Venezuela’s oil sector, which continues to fund Maduro’s illegitimate regime. This includes six shipping companies moving Venezuelan oil. On January 28, 2019, OFAC designated PDVSA pursuant to E.O. 13850 for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy and on August 5, 2019, President Trump blocked PDVSA pursuant to E.O. 13884.
- Myra Marine Limited is registered in the Marshall Islands and is the registered owner and manager of the vessel WHITE CRANE (IMO: 9323429). As recently as October 2025, WHITE CRANE has loaded oil in Venezuela. WHITE CRANE has also used deceptive practices to obfuscate its location by either failing to transmit its location or transmitting a false location. OFAC is designating Myra Marine Limited pursuant to E.O. 13850, for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy and is identifying WHITE CRANE as blocked property.
- Arctic Voyager Incorporated is registered in the Marshall Islands and is the registered owner of the Panama-flagged vessel KIARA M (IMO: 9285823). In September and October 2025, KIARA M loaded oil in Venezuela and is presently headed for Asia to offload its cargo. OFAC is designating Arctic Voyager Incorporated pursuant to E.O. 13850, for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy and is identifying KIARA M as blocked property.
- Poweroy Investment Limited is registered in the British Virgin Islands and is the registered owner of the Panama-flagged vessel H. CONSTANCE (IMO: 9237773). In October 2025, H. CONSTANCE loaded Venezuelan oil. H. CONSTANCE has repeatedly manipulated its transmissions to obfuscate its location and loading of Venezuelan oil. OFAC is designating Poweroy Investment Limited pursuant to E.O. 13850, for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy and is identifying H. CONSTANCE as blocked property.
- Ready Great Limited is registered in the Marshall Islands and is the registered owner of the Panama-flagged vessel LATTAFA (IMO: 9245794). In multiple shipments through 2025, LATTAFA loaded and transported Venezuelan oil to Asia. LATTAFA has manipulated its transmissions to obfuscate its location and loading of Venezuelan oil. OFAC is designating Ready Great Limited pursuant to E.O. 13850, for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy and is identifying LATTAFA as blocked property.
- Sino Marine Services Limited is registered in the UK and is the manager and operator of Hong Kong-flagged vessel TAMIA (IMO: 9315642). In June 2025, TAMIA loaded and transported Venezuelan oil to Asia. TAMIA has manipulated its transmissions to obfuscate its location and loading of Venezuelan oil. OFAC is designating Sino Marine Services Limited pursuant to E.O. 13850, for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy and is identifying TAMIA as blocked property.
- Full Happy Limited is registered in the Marshall Islands and is the registered owner and manager of the Cook Islands-flagged vessel MONIQUE (IMO: 9311270). In late May 2025, MONIQUE loaded and transported Venezuelan oil to Asia. OFAC is designating Full Happy Limited pursuant to E.O. 13850, for operating in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy and is identifying MONIQUE as blocked property.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked person described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons.
Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities involving designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, or to submit a request, please refer to OFAC’s guidance on Filing a Petition for Removal from an OFAC List.
Click here for more information on the person designated today.
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