S. 261 — Halt All United States Investments in Venezuela’s Energy Sector Act of 2025

This section states congressional findings regarding the July 28, 2024, presidential election in Venezuela: (1) more than 10,000,000 citizens voted, with data from credible election monitors showing opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez received more than two-thirds of the votes against Nicolas Maduro; (2) the Maduro regime refused to respect the results and arrested and abused thousands of citizens, including children, for peaceful political participation; and (3) the regime ignored the election results and refused to allow Gonzalez to be sworn in on January 10, 2025.

This section prohibits U.S. persons, effective on the date of enactment, from engaging in petroleum-related transactions with Venezuela previously allowed under the October 2023 Barbados Agreement, related licenses, or OFAC General Licenses 41 and 8M. The Secretary of the Treasury, consulting the Secretary of State, implements the prohibition using IEEPA authorities (50 U.S.C. 1702, 1704), with penalties under 50 U.S.C. 1705(b)-(c); the President may waive it for national security reasons upon submitting a report (which may be classified in part) to specified congressional committees. The prohibition terminates upon a presidential determination, notified to Congress, that the Maduro regime has recognized Edmundo Gonzalez's July 28, 2024, electoral victory and relinquished power to his government or an opposition-agreed transitional government.