Further attempts by the Trump Administration to put pressure on the government of Nicolas Maduro led to ship designation sanctions at the request of Venezuela’s National Assembly, led by Madura opposition leader Guaido.
In the Oil Daily feature, “Guaido Lawyers Move to Protect Citgo,” Morrison & Foerster of counsel Michael Dobson notes that, “Specifically designating the vessels may clarify that the ships are off-limits for U.S. companies already forbidden from working with PDVSA,” and adds that, “I think everybody's concerned about secondary sanctions, but so far the administration seems to be focused on countries the U.S. government has made clear it's not on good terms with."