U.S. sanctions Maduro nephews, six oil shippers
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on Thursday sanctioned three of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s nephews — Efraín Antonio Campo Flores, Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas and Carlos Erik Malpica Flores — plus Panamanian businessman Ramón Carretero Napolitano, six shipping firms (Myra Marine Limited; Arctic Voyager Incorporated; Poweroy Investment Limited; Ready Great Limited; Sino Marine Services Limited; Full Happy Limited) and six Venezuela‑flagged oil tankers. OFAC said the companies and vessels used deceptive and unsafe shipping practices, including AIS manipulation, to move Venezuelan oil; the move re‑sanctions Carlos Flores after a 2017 listing was removed in 2022 and comes amid a broader U.S. pressure campaign that included the recent seizure of a sanctioned tanker.
📌 Key Facts
- OFAC on Thursday published a sanctions list naming three of Nicolás Maduro’s nephews — Efraín Antonio Campo Flores, Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas, and Carlos Erik Malpica Flores — Panamanian businessman Ramón Carretero Napolitano, six firms, and six Venezuela‑flagged ships.
- The six sanctioned shipping companies are Myra Marine Limited; Arctic Voyager Incorporated; Poweroy Investment Limited; Ready Great Limited; Sino Marine Services Limited; and Full Happy Limited.
- OFAC said the six associated vessels engaged in deceptive and unsafe shipping practices, including manipulation of AIS (Automatic Identification System) signals.
- Carlos Flores was previously sanctioned in July 2017 and removed from the U.S. sanctions list in 2022; Campo and Flores de Freitas had prior U.S. narcotics convictions and were released in 2022 (reports describe this as a U.S.–Venezuela swap/clemency that involved the U.S. freeing them and Venezuela freeing seven imprisoned Americans).
- Ramón Carretero is accused of partnering with the Maduro–Flores family in several companies to facilitate oil shipments.
- U.S. officials framed the move as part of a pressure campaign on Venezuela: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the action targeted a regime 'flooding the United States with drugs' and — per reporting — said it 'undoes the Biden Administration’s failed attempt to make a deal with Maduro'; Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly praised the sanctions.
- The sanctions were linked to a seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker the previous day and to a broader U.S. regional buildup and campaign, which reporting says has included U.S. maritime strikes (PBS reported at least 87 killed in maritime strikes since early September) and assertions by the Trump administration of an 'armed conflict' with drug cartels.
📊 Relevant Data
According to DEA data, in 2019, only 8% of documented cocaine shipments departing South America by sea traveled through the Caribbean Corridor north from Venezuela.
Infographic: Few Cocaine Shipments Head North From Venezuela — Statista
According to the 2023 ENCOVI survey, 82.8% of Venezuelan households suffer from income poverty.
The ENCOVI Shows a Geographically Unequal Venezuela — Caracas Chronicles
As of January 2025, approximately 607,000 Venezuelan nationals were estimated to be covered by Temporary Protected Status in the United States.
Venezuelan Immigrants in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
Official data shows that only 0.08% of Venezuelans in the United States are linked to gangs or crime from their home country.
'Venezuela is not Tren de Aragua': A snapshot of a community targeted by the Trump administration — El Pais
📰 Sources (4)
- Confirms OFAC sanctioned Maduro’s nephews Franqui Flores, Carlos Flores, and Efraín Campo, plus Panamanian businessman Ramón Carretero, six firms and six Venezuela-flagged ships.
- Adds that Carlos Flores was sanctioned in July 2017 but removed from the sanctions list in 2022 during efforts to promote Venezuelan election negotiations.
- Notes Carretero is accused of partnering in several companies with the Maduro–Flores family to facilitate oil shipments.
- Recaps that Venezuela freed seven imprisoned Americans in 2022 in exchange for the U.S. releasing Flores and Campo, who had U.S. narcotics convictions.
- Links the sanctions to the broader U.S. campaign, citing at least 87 killed in U.S. maritime strikes since early September and Trump’s assertion of an 'armed conflict' with drug cartels.
- Lists the six sanctioned shipping companies by name: Myra Marine Limited; Arctic Voyager Incorporated; Poweroy Investment Limited; Ready Great Limited; Sino Marine Services Limited; Full Happy Limited.
- Details that OFAC identified six associated vessels using 'deceptive and unsafe shipping practices,' including AIS manipulation.
- Confirms the three sanctioned relatives: Efraín Antonio Campo Flores, Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas, and Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, and notes Campo and Flores de Freitas were granted clemency by President Biden in October 2022.
- Includes new quotes: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying the action 'undo[es] the Biden Administration’s failed attempt to make a deal with Maduro' and that Maduro is 'flooding the United States with drugs,' and Secretary of State Marco Rubio praising the sanctions on X.
- OFAC formally published the new sanctions list Thursday naming the three nephews (Franqui Flores, Carlos Flores, Efraín Campo), Panamanian businessman Ramón Carretero Napolitano, six firms, and six Venezuela-flagged ships.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s on-the-record quote framing the action as targeting a regime 'flooding the United States with drugs.'
- Context that Carlos Flores was previously sanctioned in July 2017 and removed from the list in 2022, now re-sanctioned.
- Background noting Flores and Campo were released in a 2022 prisoner swap after earlier U.S. narcotics convictions.
- Links the sanctions to the prior day’s seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker near Venezuela amid a broader U.S. regional buildup.