The US lifts sanctions to expedite humanitarian aid to Venezuela after earthquakes
The authorization will allow restricted operations to facilitate relief efforts until October 2026
This Thursday, the United States authorized transactions with Venezuela, prohibited by sanctions, as long as they are related to relief efforts for the earthquakes on Wednesday that have left more than 180 dead so far.
The United States Department of the Treasury issued an order that allows these operations until October 23, 2026, which “otherwise, would be prohibited by the Venezuela Sanctions Regulation (VSR).”
The guideline makes it clear that this authorization does not include the unblocking of assets subject to the sanctions regulations, within the legal framework established by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Nor does it apply to “any other transaction or activity prohibited by another Executive Order or by any party” stipulated in the chapter on applied sanctions.
Flexibility due to tragedy
Since the capture of Nicolás Maduro last January, the United States has issued few permits and licenses regarding the exploitation and marketing of oil, led by the interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, which represents a relaxation of the sanctions regime.
Today's authorization is applied due to the tragedy unleashed by two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.4 that were recorded just 39 seconds apart, the most devastating in recent history.
Previously, the US State Department announced in a statement the sending of 100 million dollars for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Venezuela, and another 50 million dollars to operate on the ground.