14 Venezuelan Officials Added to Sanctions

Summary#

These regulations add 14 people to the list of sanctioned individuals under the Special Economic Measures (Venezuela) Regulations. The amendments were registered and came into force on January 9, 2025, and they were published in the Canada Gazette on January 29, 2025; the measures applied from registration even before publication.

What it does#

• Adds the following people to the Schedule of listed persons (names as given in the Regulations):
  • Dinorah Yoselin BUSTAMANTE PUERTA
  • Farik Karin SALCEDO MORA
  • Domingo Antonio HERNANDEZ LAREZ
  • Asdrubal Jose BRITO HERNANDEZ
  • Elio Ramon ESTRADA PAREDES
  • Johan Alexander HERNANDEZ LAREZ
  • Alexander Enrique GRANKO ARTEAGA
  • Rafael Ramón BLANCO MARRERO
  • Hannover Esteban GUERRERO MIJARES
  • Rafael Antonio FRANCO QUINTERO
  • Ruben Dario SANTIAGO SERVIGNA
  • Miguel Antonio MUÑOZ PALACIOS
  • Alexis Jose RODRIGUEZ CABELLO
  • Javier Jose MARCANO TABATA
• Once listed, these individuals:
  • Cannot have their property dealt with by people in Canada or by Canadians outside Canada.
  • Cannot receive services, transfers of property, or other goods from people in Canada or Canadians outside Canada.
• The listing also makes the named people inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
• The names will be added to Canada’s consolidated sanctions list so banks and other institutions can screen and comply.
• Penalties for knowingly breaking the rules include a summary conviction fine up to $25,000 or imprisonment up to 1 year, or, on indictment, imprisonment up to 5 years.

Who's affected#

• The 14 named Venezuelan officials now on the sanctions list.
• People and businesses in Canada, and Canadians abroad, who are prohibited from dealing with those listed people.
• Banks and other financial institutions in Canada that must update screening systems and block prohibited transactions.
• It is expected that there will be little direct economic effect on most Canadians, because the listed individuals appear to have limited links with Canada (as stated by the government).

Why it matters#

• These are targeted sanctions aimed at people the Canadian government says are linked to serious human rights violations in Venezuela. They restrict those individuals’ access to assets and services involving Canada.
• The measures also bar the listed people from coming to Canada, which affects travel and immigration options for them.
• For ordinary Canadians, the main effect is that banks and businesses must screen and avoid prohibited dealings — a small compliance task for most firms.
• Symbolically, the measures are part of coordinated international pressure on the Venezuelan government over human rights and the post‑election repression described by the government in its statement.