OFAC issues Venezuela general license for earthquake relief

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2026 — The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued Venezuela-related General License 60 on Thursday, authorizing transactions related to earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela that would otherwise be barred under the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations. The authorization runs through 12:01 a.m. EDT on Oct. 23, 2026.

OFAC said the license covers transactions tied to relief work and includes the processing or transfer of funds on behalf of third-country persons to or from Venezuela in support of those authorized activities. The license also says US financial institutions and US-registered money transmitters may rely on the originator of a funds transfer for compliance purposes, provided the institution does not know or have reason to know the transfer falls outside the authorization.

The measure does not authorize the unblocking of property already blocked under the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations, and it does not permit transactions prohibited under other executive orders or other parts of 31 CFR chapter V. OFAC also said the license does not relieve parties from complying with other federal laws or requirements administered by other agencies.

The move comes a day after powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, prompting a growing international relief response. ReliefWeb said two major earthquakes hit on June 24, while AP reported Sunday that the death toll had climbed to about 1,450 as rescue teams continued searching for survivors in La Guaira and other affected areas.

The license provides a time-limited humanitarian carveout, but it leaves the broader sanctions framework in place.