Effective immediately, Canada is listing 8 individuals under the Special Economic Measures (Venezuela) Regulations who are current senior officials of the Venezuelan government and who have engaged in activities that directly or indirectly supported human rights violations in Venezuela and/or activities that undermine Venezuela’s democracy.

The Special Economic Measures (Venezuela) Regulations (Venezuela Regulations) were amended on December 13, 2024, to enable Canada to impose sanctions more effectively in cases where grave breaches of international peace and security and gross and systematic human rights violations have occurred.

Canadian measures

The Venezuela Regulations impose a prohibition on dealings related to the listed individuals and entities, effectively freezing any assets they may have in Canada. Persons in Canada and Canadians outside the country are prohibited from dealing in the property of the listed individuals, and the listed individuals are also rendered inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

The specific prohibitions are set out in the Venezuela Regulations.

The 8 individuals added to the schedule of these regulations are:

• Douglas Arnoldo Rico González, Director of the Scientific, Criminal and Forensic Investigations Corps
• Carlos Enrique Terán Hurtado, Division General of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB)
• Carlos Alberto Calderon Chirinos, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Strategic and Tactical Actions (DAET) of the Bolivarian National Police
• Florencio Ramón Escalona, Head of Operations for the DAET of the Bolivarian National Police
• Leonel Alberto García Rivas, Head of the Strategic Intelligence Division of the DAET
• Ronny Fernando González Montesinos, Head of the Criminal Investigations Division of the DAET
• Manuel Enrique Castillo Rengifo, Deputy Commander of the Strategic Operations Command of the FANB
• Jose Ramon Figuera Valdez, Commander of the Integral Defence Zone of Venezuela’s Capital District