Venezuela upholds long jail sentences for US oil executives [Citgo 6]
The men known as the Citgo 6 — for the Houston oil company where they worked — were lured to Caracas around Thanksgiving in 2017 to attend a meeting at the headquarters of Citgo’s parent, state-run oil giant PDVSA. Once there, heavily armed masked security officers stormed the conference room where they were gathered and hauled them away. Later they were charged with corruption in connection to a never-executed plan to refinance billions in bonds.
February 05, 2022
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/business/article258075553.html
U.S. extradites key Maduro ally Alex Saab; Venezuela re-arrests 'Citgo 6'
Shortly after Saab was extradited, Venezuela re-apprehended six executives for Citgo Petroleum, a Houston-based subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company, including five U.S. citizens and one permanent resident.
The group, known as the "Citgo 6," have been held by the Venezuelan government on corruption charges since 2017 but were released into house arrest in May.
Oct. 17, 2021
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/10/17/Venezuela-US-extradites-Alex-Saab-Venezuela-re-arrests-Citgo-6/7011634489132/
“These Americans,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement, “have been unjustly imprisoned in Venezuela since November 2017 after being lured to Caracas under false pretenses.”
“The wrongful detention and sentencing of these six U.S. persons further demonstrate how corruption and abuse of power are deeply embedded in Venezuela’s institutions,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. “The United States remains committed to protecting its citizens and targeting those who contribute to the illegitimate Maduro regime’s usurpation of power in Venezuela.”
“These six men and their families have suffered long enough,” declared Secretary Pompeo. “It is time for Maduro to release the Citgo 6 and let them be reunited with their families.
January 15, 2021
https://editorials.voa.gov/a/holding-accountable-those-who-prosecuted-citgo-6/5739098.html
Treasury Designates Venezuelan Officials Involved in Unjust Trial of the “Citgo 6”
These individuals were designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, as amended.
U.S. sanctions need not be permanent; sanctions are intended to bring about a positive change of behavior.
The United States has made clear that the removal of sanctions may be available for individuals and entities, including those designated pursuant to E.O. 13692, who take concrete and meaningful actions to stop providing support to the illegitimate Maduro regime, including to those Government of Venezuela agencies that support Maduro.
December 30, 2020
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm1225
President Trump is exempting Citgo Petroleum Corp., owned by Venezuela’s government, from the financial sanctions imposed Friday on the country.
The latest set of sanctions is meant to punish the government of President Nicolás Maduro as it moves to rewrite the country’s constitution and consolidate his power. To that end, the sanctions seek to exclude the Venezuelan government from the United States’ economy, including its markets and capital, and to make sure the U.S. does not assist the Maduro government.
But Citgo, an oil refiner, retailer and transporter based in the United States and owned by the government’s Petróleos de Venezuela, will get to operate largely as normal.
The White House statement announcing the sanctions framed the Citgo exemption as an attempt “to mitigate harm to the American and Venezuelan people.”
08/25/17
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/348007-trump-exempts-citgo-from-venezuela-sanctions
https://www.citgo.com/about/who-we-are/executive-team