The Council has decided to extend the restrictive measures imposed on Venezuela for an additional year, until 10 January 2026. Furthermore, the European Union has added new individuals to its sanctions list and updated the grounds for sanctions against previously designated persons through Implementing Regulations 2025/42 and 2025/44, which apply restrictive measures to Venezuela under the framework of Regulation 2017/2063.
In this context, the European Union has progressively adopted restrictive measures against Venezuela and certain officials of its government since 2017. The restrictive measures contained in Regulation 2017/2063 include a ban on the export to Venezuela of goods listed in the EU Common Military List, as well as any other equipment which might be used for internal repression and other goods listed in the annexes. In this regard, the EU has prohibited the brokering, financing or technical assistance of such goods, as well as the freezing of assets and funds of the sanctioned persons, as well as the prohibition to enter or transit through European territory.
COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION 2025/42
This regulation updates the destination or official position of the following designees:
- Néstor Luis Reverol Torres, President of the Development Corporation of the Zulia Region (Corpozulia) since April 2024, previously Minister of Energy.
- Gustavo Enrique González López who resigned from his position as General Director of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service in October 2024.
- Diosdado Cabello Rondón, member of the National Assembly and, since August 2024, Minister of Internal Affairs, Justice and Peace.
- Iván Hernández Dala, who resigned as General Director of Military Counterintelligence in October 2024.
- Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez, Minister of Petroleum since August 2024, previously Minister of Economy, Finance and Trade.
- Sandra Oblitas Ruzza, who resigned from her position as Minister of Universities in August 2024 and returned to the position of rector of the Bolivarian University of Venezuela.
- Rafael Ramón Blanco Marrero, General Inspector of the Army since July 2023, previously General Division.
- Remigio Ceballos Ichaso, who resigned as Minister of Internal Affairs, Justice and Peace and as vice President of the Government for Citizen Security.
- Jesús Emilio Vásquez Quintero, who ceased to be President of the Court Martial and the Military Criminal Judicial circuit in August 2024.
In addition, the announcement of the results of the 2024 elections has been added to the grounds for sanctioning Elvis Eduardo Hidrobo Amoroso, President of the National Electoral Commission.
Finally, it corrects typos or makes clearer the motivation for sanctions for Sergio José Rivero Marcano, Socorro Elizabeth Hernández De Hernández, Xavier Antonio Moreno Reyes, and Leonardo Enrique Morales Poleo.
COUNCIL IMPLEMETING REGULATION 2025/44
This Regulation adds the following persons to the European Union’s sanctions regime for acts related to the electoral process in the 2024 presidential election and in the inauguration of Nicolás Maduro:
- Caryslia Beatriz Rodríguez Rodríguez, President of the Supreme Court and its Electoral Chamber.
- Fanny Beatriz Márquez Cordero, Vice-President of the Supreme Court and its Electoral Chamber.
- Inocencio Antonio Figueroa Arizaleta, judge of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court.
- Malaquías Gil Rodríguez, President of the Political-Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court.
- Antonio José Meneses Rodríguez, General Secretary of the National Electoral Council.
- Carlos Enrique Quintero Cuevas, Vice-President of the National Electoral Council.
- Conrado Ramón Pérez Briceño, Principal Rector of the National Electoral Council.
- Rosalba Gil Pacheco, Principal Rector of the National Electoral Council, President of the Civil and Electoral Registry Commission and member of the Political Participation and Financing Commission.
- Luis Ernesto Dueñez Reyes, Assistant Prosecutor of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
- Edward Miguel Briceño Cisneros, Special Judge of the First Court of First Instance.
- Alexis José Rodríguez Cabello, Director of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service.
- Miguel Antonio Muñoz Palacios, Deputy Director of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service.
- Elio Ramón Estrada Paredes, Commander of the Bolivarian National Guard.
- Asdrúbal José Brito Hernández, Director of the Criminal Investigations Department of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence.
- Domingo Antonio Hernández Lárez, Strategic Operational Commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces.
In the context of political relations between the European Union and Venezuela, the recent measures adopted by the European bloc have neither tightened nor relaxed the existing sanctions. Despite Nicolás Maduro’s recent inauguration for a new presidential term, the EU’s restrictive provisions have remained unchanged, implying that, in practical terms, there has been no significant shift in Brussels’ stance towards the Venezuelan government.
The European bloc has reaffirmed its position regarding the democratic legitimacy of Maduro’s administration, emphasising its non-recognition of the electoral process that led to his investiture. However, unlike other international actors, the EU has opted for a strategy of restraint and caution, avoiding measures that would explicitly endorse the opposition. In this regard, no concrete steps have been taken towards the recognition of Edmundo González Urrutia as the elected president.
For Brussels to officially recognise González as Venezuela’s legitimate head of state, the leaders of the EU member states must reach a consensus on the matter. However, in the current European political landscape, achieving such unanimity appears to be a complex task, given the diversity of positions and priorities among EU nations. Nevertheless, this possibility cannot be ruled out in the future, particularly if the bloc decides to leverage González’s recognition as an additional instrument of political pressure on Caracas.
In conclusion, the EU’s recent actions reflect a stance of continuity in its policy towards Venezuela. While the bloc continues to withhold legitimacy from Maduro’s government, it has also refrained from taking concrete steps towards recognising the opposition as an institutional alternative. In this context, the evolution of European policy will largely depend on the internal dynamics of the bloc and potential changes both within Venezuela and in the broader geopolitical scenario.
By: Lupicinio Rodríguez Jiménez, Fátima Rodríguez González, Javier Ordoñez and Rocío Gras, with the colaboration of José Luis Iriarte, Profesor of International Private Law at the Universidad Pública de Navarra.
******
More information:
International Trade and Sanctions Department
Lupicinio International Law Firm
C/ Villanueva 29
28001 Madrid
P: +34 91 436 00 90
