Life

No Disney for Diosdado

It wasn’t clear why Diosdado had never been sanctioned, but the day has come.

Caracas Chronicles
Photo: El Carabobeño

Diosdado Cabello Rondón, former vice-president, Interior minister, Miranda governor, Infrastructure minister, National Assembly speaker, deputy, PSUV vice-president and a close friend of the Venezuelan Armed Forces has been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in Executive Order 13692.

Three other individuals in Diosdado’s circle were also sanctioned: his brother, José David Cabello, his wife, Marleny Contreras, current Tourism minister, and Rafael Sarría Díaz. Assets owned by Mr. Sarría were also listed, since he was designated for acting as Diosdado’s front man.

The statement on the U.S. Treasury website reads:

“These designations reflect the commitment of the United States to use every available diplomatic and economic tool to hold accountable corrupt officials and support the Venezuelan people’s efforts to restore their democracy.  The United States will continue to take appropriate action, including designating persons for sanctions, to respond to the situation in Venezuela as it develops. U.S. sanctions need not be permanent; they are intended to change behavior.  However, we would consider lifting sanctions for persons sanctioned under E.O. 13692 that take concrete and meaningful actions to restore democratic order, refuse to take part in human rights abuses and speak out against abuses committed by the government, and combat corruption in Venezuela.”

You can read the full statement here.

Since the first chavistas were sanctioned by U.S. Treasury there has been a lot of speculation on why Diosdado hadn’t been touched yet. Some believed that the U.S. was leaving a window open to have someone to negotiate within the regime. It’s clear that the window has finally been closed.

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