SUBMIT IMAGE: An oil vessel is anchored while oil is pumped right into it at the ships terminal of PDVSA’s Jose Antonio Anzoategui commercial facility in the state of Anzoategui April 15, 2015. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo

By Doina Chiacu as well as Marianna Parraga WASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters)– The UNITED STATE Treasury Department on Tuesday enforced permissions on 4 maritime companies as well as vessels transferring Venezuelan oil to Cuba, amidst an intense gas deficiency in the island that is requiring individuals to align for fuel as well as public transportation.

Despite difficult united state steps versus Venezuela’s state-owned oil business PDVSA in January, Cuba’s state-run oil import as well as export business Cubametales as well as various other Cuba- based entities “have continued to circumvent sanctions by receiving oil shipments from Venezuela,” the Treasury claimed in a declaration.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin claimed the United States was remaining to act versus Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, whom Washington thinks about a bogus leader.

“Venezuela’s oil belongs to the Venezuelan people, and should not be used as a bargaining tool to prop up dictators and prolong the usurpation of Venezuelan democracy,” Mnuchin claimed in the declaration.

One of the approved entities is Cyprus- based Caroil Transport Marine Ltd as well as 3 vessels it runs– the Carlota C, Sandino as well as Petion– for supposedly bring Venezuelan oil as well as gas to Cuba, a profession outlawed under previous united state steps.

Two Panama- based teams, Trocana World Inc as well as Tovase Development Corp, were approved for having the 3 vessels. A 3rd Panamanian company, Bluelane Overseas SA, was additionally approved in addition to a vessel it possesses called the Giralt.

“(The) U.S. government implements brutal and genocidal policy of tightening the blockade and financial persecution, in addition to obstructing oil shipments to Cuba,” claimed Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel over Twitter.

Tankers Petion as well as Sandino were acquired a years back by a Cuba-Venezuela transport company, Transalba, to lug Venezuelan oil to Cuba as component of a broad reciprocal contract authorized by late Presidents Hugo Chavez as well as Fidel Castro.

“As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of these entities, that are in the United States … are blocked and must be reported to OFAC,” the declaration claimed.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) bans deals by united state residents or firms within the United States that include rate of interests in obstructed or assigned individuals.

Though oil profession in between Venezuela as well as Cuba has actually not stopped amidst permissions, the circulation of PDVSA’s oil has actually wanted to maintain the Communist- ruled island well-supplied.

Cubans have actually dealt with lengthy lines at gasoline station as well as for public transport amidst what Diaz-Canel has actually referred to as an absence of vessels to get gas imports.

The Treasury additionally delisted companies Serenity Maritime Limited, Lima Shipping Corp as well as vessel Leon Dias as well as New Hellas, which supposedly were associated with the Venezuela-Cuba profession. The companies had actually previously ceased service withCubametales (Reporting by Doina Chiacu in Washington as well as Marianna Parraga in Mexico City Additional reoprting by Nelson Acosta in Havana Editing by Tom Brown as well as Matthew Lewis)

( c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019.