The State Department certified that Nicaragua is not taking steps to combat corruption, protect civil rights and hold fair elections, which could lead to additional U.S. sanctions, according to a notice. Under the Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act of 2018, the U.S. may impose or sustain asset-freezing measures and other penalties after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certifies that Nicaragua is not taking “effective steps” to stop corruption and other activities.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned two senior Nicaraguan government officials for human rights violations and corruption, Treasury said in a May 22 press release. The sanctions target Julio Cesar Aviles Castillo, the commander-in-chief of the Nicaraguan Army, and Ivan Adolfo Acosta Montalvan, the Minister of Finance and Public Credit.
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with some of the top stories for May 18-22 in case you missed them.
Two senators plan to introduce a bill they say will expand U.S. sanctions against Chinese efforts to meddle in Hong Kong’s autonomy. The bill would impose sanctions on Chinese policymakers and entities and would introduce secondary sanctions against certain banks, said Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
A new law being considered by China’s National People's Congress could trigger U.S. export controls and cause the U.S. to revoke Hong Kong’s special customs status, said Jude Blanchette, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The new national security law, which is expected to be proposed during China’s current NPC session, would criminalize “treason, sedition and secession,” Blanchette said, and will likely cause the U.S. to enact measures under the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which passed in November 2019 (see 1911290012).
The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security postponed its annual Washington, D.C., export control conference (see 2004300049) to July 26-28, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BIS said May 21. The conference was scheduled to run June 29 through July 1. Washington has stay-at-home orders in place through at least June 8. The agency previously canceled its April Los Angeles conference (see 2003120045) and postponed a series of export control seminars (see 2004140030).
Ukraine’s president issued a decree amending its sanctions list, according to a May 18 post on the EU Sanctions blog and a May 14 notice from Ukraine. The decree imposes sanctions on Russian entities, bans withdrawing certain funds outside Ukraine, cancels certain licenses and permits, and delists 233 entries from sanctions, the post said. The decree also renews a ban for three years on certain Russian internet service providers and social media sites, the post said.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control removed a general license for certain Zimbabwean entities because they are no longer subject to sanctions, according to a notice. The move removes a license that authorized transactions with the Agricultural Development Bank of Zimbabwe and Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe, both of which were removed from Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals List in 2016, the notice said. OFAC also updated the “authorities citation” of the Zimbabwe Sanctions regulations “to shorten citations to conform with Federal Register guidance.”
AT&T closed its DirecTV operations in Venezuela due to U.S. sanctions, the company said May 19. AT&T said U.S. sanctions block the broadcast of “Globovision and PDVSA’s channels, both of which are required under DIRECTV’s license to provide pay TV service in Venezuela.” The company said its U.S. leadership closed its Venezuelan operations “because it is impossible for AT&T’s DIRECTV unit to comply with the legal requirements of both countries.”
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs began an interagency review for a final rule from the Commerce Department that will implement certain export control decisions from the 2018 Wassenaar Arrangement plenary. The rule, received by OIRA May 20, will also make “other revisions related to national security controls.” During a May 19 Emerging Technology Technical Advisory Committee meeting, Commerce officials said the agency is preparing to issue several emerging technology controls within weeks (see 2005190052).