Key Takeaways:
- The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned several family members and associates of the Maduro-Flores family.
- The sanctions target the narco-corruption structure that sustains Nicolás Maduro’s illegitimate regime, including the familial networks of Carlos Erik Malpica Flores and Ramon Carretero Napolitano.
- The sanctions block all property and interests in property of the designated persons in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons.
- Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons.
- The ultimate goal of sanctions is to bring about a positive change in behavior, and OFAC may remove persons from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) consistent with the law.
Introduction to Sanctions Against the Maduro Regime
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has taken significant action against the Maduro regime in Venezuela, sanctioning several family members and associates of the Maduro-Flores family. This move further targets the narco-corruption structure that sustains Nicolás Maduro’s illegitimate regime, specifically the familial networks of Carlos Erik Malpica Flores and Ramon Carretero Napolitano. According to Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, "Today, Treasury sanctioned individuals who are propping up Nicolás Maduro’s rogue narco-state. We will not allow Venezuela to continue flooding our nation with deadly drugs." The Trump Administration has made it clear that it will continue to target the networks that prop up Maduro’s illegitimate dictatorship.
Sanctioning Maduro Associates and Their Families
On December 11, 2025, OFAC sanctioned Malpica Flores, a nephew of Maduro’s wife Cilia Flores, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692 for being a current or former official of the Government of Venezuela. Malpica Flores has been repeatedly linked to corruption at Venezuela’s state-run oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), and has leveraged his family connections for his transnational financial operations. Today, OFAC is designating several individuals as immediate adult family members of Malpica Flores, including his mother, father, sister, wife, and adult daughter. These individuals are being sanctioned pursuant to E.O. 13850 for being responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged in, any transaction or series of transactions involving deceptive practices or corruption and the Government of Venezuela or projects or programs administered by the Government of Venezuela.
Additional Sanctions Against Ramon Carretero
In addition to the sanctions against Malpica Flores and his family members, OFAC is also designating several individuals as immediate family members of Ramon Carretero, a Panamanian businessman who has transacted extensively with the Maduro regime, including the family of Malpica Flores. These individuals, including Roberto Carretero Napolitano and Vicente Luis Carretero Napolitano, are being sanctioned pursuant to E.O. 13850 for being responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged in, any transaction or series of transactions involving deceptive practices or corruption and the Government of Venezuela or projects or programs administered by the Government of Venezuela.
Sanctions Implications
As a result of these sanctions, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. 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.
Enforcement of Sanctions
OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. 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.
Conclusion and Next Steps
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. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control will continue to target the networks that prop up Maduro’s illegitimate dictatorship, and individuals and entities that engage in transactions or activities involving designated or blocked persons may face significant penalties and risks.
