THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
Whereas:
On 13 November 2017, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074(1).
On 10 November 2022, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2022/2201(2), which renewed the restrictive measures in place until 14 November 2023, including all designations.
The Council has reviewed the restrictive measures in place in accordance with Article 13 of Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074. Based on that review and considering the ongoing political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and persistent actions undermining democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, the restrictive measures, including all designations, with the exception of one deceased person, should be renewed until 14 May 2024, and the statement of reasons for 16 persons should be updated.
These measures do not affect the general population and can be reversed in light of progress towards the restoration of democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights in Venezuela.
Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074 should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074 is amended as follows:
in Article 13, the first paragraph is replaced by the following:
‘This decision shall apply until 14 May 2024.’;
Annex I is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.
This Decision shall enter into force on the date following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 10 November 2023.
For the Council
The President
P. Navarro Ríos
Annex I to Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074 is amended as follows:
in the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies, entry 3 is deleted; and
entries 2, 7, 8, 11, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 29, 31, 38, 51 and 53 are replaced by the following entries:
Name
Identifying information
Reasons
Date of listing
‘2.
Gustavo Enrique GONZÁLEZ LÓPEZ
Date of birth: 2 November 1960
Gender: male
Reappointed as General Director of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) on 30 April 2019. Security and Intelligence Adviser to President Maduro since January 2019 and General Director of SEBIN from February 2014 to October 2018. During the times he has served as SEBIN director, officials under his ultimate authority committed acts of arbitrary detention, torture and cruel and inhuman treatment, including sexual violence, in El Helicoide detention centre. As General Director of SEBIN, he is responsible for serious human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, inhuman and degrading treatment, and torture, and the repression of civil society and the democratic opposition in Venezuela.
22.1.2018
7.
Diosdado CABELLO RONDÓN
Date of birth: 15 April 1963
Gender: male
Member of the non-democratically elected National Assembly, former President of the Constituent Assembly and First Vice-President of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Involved in undermining democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela and the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, including by using the media to publicly attack and threaten political opposition, other media and civil society and giving orders to detain individuals, including to the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN).
22.1.2018
8.
Tareck Zaidan EL-AISSAMI MADDAH
Date of birth: 12 November 1974
Gender: male
Former Vice President of Economy and former Minister of the Popular Power of Petroleum as well as National Industry and Production. As the former Vice President of Venezuela with oversight of the direction of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), Tareck El-Aissami is responsible for the serious human rights violations carried out by the organisation, including arbitrary detentions, politically motivated investigations, inhuman and degrading treatment, and torture. He is also responsible for supporting and implementing policies and activities which undermine democracy and the rule of law, including the prohibition of public demonstrations, and heading President Maduro’s “anti-coup command” which has targeted civil society and the democratic opposition.
25.6.2018
11.
Iván HERNÁNDEZ DALA
Date of birth: 18 May 1966
Gender: male
Major-General in FANB. Director-General of Military Counter-Intelligence (DGCIM) since January 2014 and Head of the Presidential Guard since September 2015. As Head of the DGCIM, Iván Hernández Dala is responsible for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition and for serious human rights violations committed by members of the DGCIM under his command, including torture, the use of excessive force and the ill-treatment of detainees.
25.6.2018
14.
Sandra OBLITAS RUZZA
Date of birth: 7 June 1969
Gender: female
Minister of University Education. Former Rector of the Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela. Former Vice President of the National Electoral Council (CNE) and former President of the Commission of the Electoral and Civilian Register. Responsible for CNE activities which have undermined democracy in Venezuela, including by facilitating the establishment of the illegitimate Constituent Assembly and the manipulation of the electoral process.
25.6.2018
16.
Katherine Nayarith HARRINGTON PADRÓN
Date of birth: 5 December 1971
Gender: female
President of the Criminal Judicial Circuit of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas. Former Deputy Prosecutor General (also translated as Deputy Attorney General) from July 2017 until October 2018. Appointed Deputy Prosecutor General by the Supreme Court rather than by the National Assembly, in violation of the Constitution. Responsible for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela, including by initiating politically-motivated prosecutions and failing to investigate allegations of human rights violations by the Maduro regime.
25.6.2018
19.
Néstor Neptali BLANCO HURTADO
Date of birth: 26 September 1982
ID number: V-15222057
Gender: male
Commander in military counterintelligence zone No 32 in the Los Llanos region. As Major in the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), he has operated alongside officials in the Directorate-General of Military Counter-Intelligence (Dirección General de Contrainteligencia Militar (DGCIM)) since at least December 2017. Responsible for serious human rights violations, including torture, the use of excessive force and the mistreatment of detainees in DGCIM facilities.
27.9.2019
21.
Carlos Alberto CALDERÓN CHIRINOS
ID number: V-10352300
Gender: male
Official with the elite command of the Venezuelan National Police (PNB/FAES). Former senior office holder (referred to as General Commissioner, Director of El Helicoide and Director of Strategic Investigations) in the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN). Officials of the Directorate for Strategic Investigations under his supervision have committed illegal detentions, acts of torture and other ill-treatment, and sexual and gender-based violence. Responsible for serious human rights violations, including torture, the use of excessive force and the mistreatment of detainees in SEBIN facilities. In particular, he has participated in and is responsible for acts of torture and the cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees at El Helicoide, a SEBIN prison.
27.9.2019
23.
Rafael Antonio FRANCO QUINTERO
Date of birth: 14 October 1973
ID number: V-11311672
Gender: male
Brigadier General of the Venezuelan Bolivarian National Army (FANB). Agent in the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN). Head of Security at Maiquetía International Airport since August 2019. Director of the Special Directorate of Criminal and Criminalistics Investigations (DEIPC) at the Directorate-General of Military Counter-Intelligence (Dirección General de Contrainteligencia Militar (DGCIM)) between November 2016 and November 2018. Responsible for serious human rights violations, including torture, the use of excessive force and the ill-treatment of detainees in DGCIM facilities by members of the DGCIM under his command, notably at the Boleita detention centre. Officials under his authority were also implicated in sexual violence against detainees. Also responsible for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition by members of the DGCIM under his command. Linked to the death of Captain Acosta Arévalo.
27.9.2019
24.
Alexander Enrique GRANKO ARTEAGA
Date of birth: 25 March 1981
ID Number: V-14970215
Gender: male
Head (Director) of the Special Affairs Division (DAE) of the Directorate-General of Military Counter-Intelligence (Dirección General de Contrainteligencia Militar (DGCIM)) since 2017. Head of Office of DGCIM’s Boleita detention centre since 29 August 2022. From 2017 to 2022 he ordered, supervised and directly participated in arbitrary detentions, short-term enforced disappearances, torture, including sexual violence, and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel of the Bolivarian National Guard on 1 July 2020. Responsible for serious human rights violations, including torture, the use of excessive force causing death and injury and the ill-treatment of detainees in DGCIM facilities committed by himself and by officials under his command. Also responsible for the repression of civil society by members of DGCIM under his command, as well as being directly involved in such repression. Linked to the death of Captain Acosta Arévalo.
27.9.2019
25.
Hannover Esteban GUERRERO MIJARES
Date of birth: 14 January 1971
Gender: male
Second Commander and Chief of Staff of the 35th Military Police Brigade since 2019. Director of the Special Directorate of Criminal and Criminalistics Investigations (DEIPC) at the Directorate-General of Military Counter-Intelligence (Dirección General de Contrainteligencia Militar (DGCIM)) from November 2018 to August 2019. As Director of DEIPC, he supervised the DGCIM facility in Boleita detention centre. During this period, acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, as well as sexual violence, were committed by DGCIM officials at Boleita. Responsible for serious human rights violations, including torture, the use of excessive force and the ill-treatment of detainees committed by himself and by officials under his command, particularly in Boleita. Linked to the death of Captain Acosta Arévalo.
27.9.2019
29.
Elvis Eduardo HIDROBO AMOROSO
Date of birth: 4 August 1963
Place of birth: Caracas, Distrito Capital, Venezuela
ID number: V-7659695
Gender: male
President of the National Electoral Commission of Venezuela since 24 August 2023. Former Comptroller General (between 23 October 2018 and August 2023), and former First and Second Vice-President of the non-recognised National Constituent Assembly (ANC). His actions have undermined democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela, including by banning opposition members from holding public office for 15 years and leading the non-recognised ANC, signing the ‘law against hatred’, justifying the removal of a legally-elected opposition governor and banning Juan Guaidó from running for any public office.
29.6.2020
31.
Jorge Elieser MÁRQUEZ MONSALVE
Date of birth: 20 February 1971
Place of birth: Caracas, Venezuela
ID number: V-8714253
Gender: male
Minister of the Office of the Presidency since November 2017 and Director-General of the National Commission of Telecommunications (CONATEL) since 7 August 2017. His actions have undermined democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela, including by severely limiting the rights of the Venezuelan people to a free press, free speech and information. He used the special powers of CONATEL to silence criticism and dissidents of the regime by blocking, filtering and obstructing internet websites, by revoking existing licences for radio and television stations and by refusing to grant new ones.
29.6.2020
38.
Omar José PRIETO FERNÁNDEZ
Date of birth: 25 May 1969
ID number: V-9761075
Gender: male
Former Governor of Zulia State (2017 – 2021). In this position he has undermined democracy and the rule of law in Zulia State. He was sworn in by the non-recognised National Constituent Assembly (ANC), after the legitimate winner of the election refused to be sworn in by the ANC. Omar José Prieto Fernández actively promoted the non-democratic elections for the National Assembly, which took place on 6 December 2020. Moreover, in Zulia State he threatened opposition leaders with “house visits” and stated his intention to declare Zulia State independent should an interim government led by Juan Guaidó assume power. Active member of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).
22.2.2021
51.
Carlos Ramón Enrique CARVALLO GUEVARA
ID-number: V-10132041
Gender: male
President of state enterprise Corporación Ecosocialista Ezequiel Zamora (CORPOEZ) since March 2021. Division General and Deputy Director of the Directorate-General of Military Counter-Intelligence (Dirección General de Contrainteligencia Militar (DGCIM)) since 21 August 2020. Successor of General Rafael Ramón Blanco Marrero. Previously, Carvallo Guevara served for the DGCIM in Los Andes region and held an upper rank in the Bolivarian National Guard. Responsible for the serious human rights violations in Venezuela committed by DGCIM officials under his command. In the findings of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela of 20 September 2022, DGCIM is characterised as an institution directly responsible for carrying out severe human rights violations.
22.2.2021
53.
Carlos Enrique TERÁN HURTADO
ID-number: V-8042567
Gender: male
Division General of the Venezuelan Bolivarian National Armed Forces since 2022. Director of the Special Directorate of Criminal and Criminalistics Investigations (DEIPC) at the Directorate-General of Military Counter-Intelligence (Dirección General de Contrainteligencia Militar (DGCIM)) from August 2019 to February 2021. In previous functions, Brigadier General Terán Hurtado served as head of the police in Falcón state and head of DGCIM in Táchira state. Responsible for the serious human rights violations, including cruel and inhuman treatment of detainees, committed by DGCIM officials under his command. In the detailed findings of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Brigadier General Terán Hurtado is specifically pointed out as one of the responsible actors, and is linked to the Captain de la Sotta case.
22.2.2021 ’