The Trump administration Thursday imposed new sanctions on three nephews of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, a businessman close to his regime and six companies shipping its oil, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The new sanctions, to be announced by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, are the latest aspect of President Trump's pressure campaign on Maduro, whom the administration has accused of leading a narco-trafficking terrorist organization.
- "Nicolas Maduro and his criminal associates in Venezuela are flooding the United States with drugs that are poisoning the American people," Bessent said in written statement obtained by Axios.
Driving the news: The sanctions come a day after the U.S. seized a vessel carrying Venezuelan crude oil because it was on the Treasury Department's "Specially Designated Nationals" (SDN) sanctions list.
Zoom in: People or companies sanctioned by the U.S. are banned from accessing the U.S. banking system as well as financial systems that touch U.S. interests. Those sanctioned also can't access U.S. businesses and property, among other penalties.
Three of the people sanctioned Thursday have been on U.S. officials' radar and are nephews of Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores:
- Efrain Antonio Campo Flores and Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas were known as Flores's "narco nephews" after they were arrested in Haiti and convicted the U.S. in 2016 of cocaine trafficking charges. President Biden granted them clemency in October 2022 in a prisoner swap amid talks that preceded a failed deal with Maduro to abide by democratic norms.
- Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, the third nephew, is tied to Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA), and was sanctioned by Treasury in 2017. He'd been removed from the sanctions list by Biden amid talks that proceeded the democracy deal that Maduro reneged on.
- Ramon Carretero Napolitano, a Panamanian businessman involved in the oil industry, was also sanctioned.
- The four newly sanctioned individuals 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.
Zoom out: Last month, 18 vessels carried Venezuelan, according to data provided to Axios by Saeed Ghasseminejad, an expert on oil and sanctions with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy.
- 6 of the vessels were under SDN sanction, not including the one seized Wednesday, called "Skipper," which was en route to Cuba carrying 1.8 million barrels of oil.
The intrigue: It was unclear if the six vessels sanctioned Thursday shipped Venezuelan oil last month:
- Myra Marine Limited, registered in the Marshall Islands, owns and manages the vessel White Crane.
- Arctic Voyager Incorporated, registered in the Marshall Islands, is the registered owner of the Panama-flagged vessel Kiara M.
- Poweroy Investment Limited, registered in the British Virgin Islands, is the registered owner of the Panama-flagged vessel H. Constance.
- Ready Great Limited, registered in the Marshall Islands, is the registered owner of the Panama-flagged vessel Lattafa.
- Sino Marine Services Limited, registered in the U.K., is the manager and operator of Hong Kong-flagged vessel Tamia.
- Full Happy Limited, registered in the Marshall Islands, is the registered owner and manager of the Cook Islands-flagged vessel Monique.
What they're saying: "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," Bessent said.
- "There's a lot more where this came from," a Trump administration insider told Axios. "Maduro, his family and his cronies have a choice: Stop the drug trafficking, stop the corruption, stop the dictatorship and leave the country — or pay the price."
