§9754 Restriction on Export of Covered Articles and Services to Certain Security Forces of Venezuela

Summary

Bans sending certain weapons, related services, and some crime-control items from the United States to any part of the security forces that answer to Nicolás Maduro. Covered items mean defense articles and services and certain goods on the U.S. Commerce Control List (for one part of the rule it also covers items likely to be used to violate human rights). Key terms: appropriate congressional committees (Senate Foreign Relations; Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; House Foreign Affairs; House Financial Services), foreign person (not a U.S. person), person (an individual or organization), security forces of Venezuela (the armed forces and national guard, national intelligence service, national police, and the forensic/criminal investigations bureau), and United States person (U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, or an entity organized under U.S. law, including foreign branches). Within 180 days after December 20, 2019, the Secretary of State, working with the Secretary of Commerce and other agencies as needed, must (1) find out and report to those congressional committees whether any covered items were sent to Maduro’s security forces since July 2017 without the required license or authorization, and (2) report on foreign transfers of such items, listing significant transfers since July 2017, foreign parties that keep defense ties with those forces, and any known use of the items to attack or intimidate political activists (including Juan Guaidó). The rule ends on the earlier of the date three years after December 20, 2019, or the date the President certifies to those committees that Venezuela has returned to a democratic government meeting the standards in Article 3 of the Inter‑American Democratic Charter (adopted September 11, 2001).