VENEECONOMIST
OFAC GENERAL LICENSEActiveTelecommunications

GL 62

GL 62 — Negotiations of and Entry Into Contingent Contracts for Investment in the Telecommunications Sector of Venezuela

Version history

  • Aug 21, 2026Emisión inicial. Licencia nueva: no reemplaza ni supersede a ninguna otra. Es la mitad de inversión del par que forma con la GL 61, y toma la figura de contrato contingente ya usada en la GL 55 (minería), la GL 49A y la GL 56 (transversales). Se emite junto con la GL 61 y la FAQ 1266.

Issued

Aug 21, 2026

Expiration

No expiration

Authorized entity

Gobierno de Venezuela en telecomunicaciones — CONATEL y CANTV (nueva inversión en el sector)

Type

General

Regulation

31 CFR part 591 (VSR)

Executive orders

Signatory

Bradley T. Smith, Director, OFAC

Signed

Aug 21, 2026

Scope

Authorizes transactions prohibited by the VSR — including those involving the Government of Venezuela, CONATEL, and CANTV — related to the negotiation of and entry into contingent contracts for new investment in the telecommunications sector of Venezuela, provided that performance of any such contract is made expressly contingent upon separate authorization from OFAC. Covers establishing new telecommunication service providers, expanding existing operations, and forming new joint ventures or other entities, along with prefatory steps such as commercial, legal, technical, safety, and environmental due diligence and assessments. No periodic reporting and no expiration date.

Authorized parties

Gobierno de VenezuelaComisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL)Compañía Anónima Nacional Teléfonos de Venezuela (CANTV)

Authorized activities

  • ·Negociación y firma de contratos contingentes de nueva inversión en el sector de telecomunicaciones venezolano
  • ·Contratos contingentes para establecer nuevas prestadoras de servicios de telecomunicaciones en Venezuela
  • ·Contratos contingentes para ampliar operaciones de telecomunicaciones ya existentes en Venezuela
  • ·Contratos contingentes para formar nuevas empresas conjuntas u otras entidades en Venezuela relacionadas con lo anterior
  • ·Pasos preparatorios: diligencia debida y evaluaciones comerciales, legales, técnicas, de seguridad y ambientales
  • ·Ofertas ejecutorias susceptibles de aceptación, como pujas o propuestas en respuesta a licitaciones públicas, y memorandos de entendimiento vinculantes

Prohibited activities

  • ·La ejecución de cualquiera de esos contratos sin autorización separada de OFAC
  • ·Cualquier transacción que involucre a una persona ubicada en Rusia, Irán, Corea del Norte, Cuba o China, o a una entidad poseída o controlada por tales personas o en JV con ellas
  • ·El desbloqueo de cualquier bien bloqueado conforme a la VSR

Conditions

  • ·La ejecución de cualquier contrato queda expresamente condicionada a una autorización separada de OFAC («contratos contingentes»).
  • ·El término «contratos contingentes» comprende contratos ejecutorios, facturas pro forma ejecutorias, acuerdos de principio, ofertas ejecutorias susceptibles de aceptación —como pujas o propuestas en respuesta a licitaciones públicas—, memorandos de entendimiento vinculantes y cualquier otro acuerdo similar (Nota 1 al párrafo (a)).
  • ·No exime del cumplimiento ante otros organismos federales, en particular la Federal Communications Commission (FCC), el Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecommunications Services Sector y el Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) del Departamento de Comercio.

Excluded jurisdictions

RusiaIránCorea del NorteCubaChina

VENE · ECONOMIST Analysis

Fact
OFAC emitió el 21 de agosto de 2026 la GL 62, que autoriza negociar y firmar contratos contingentes de nueva inversión en el sector de telecomunicaciones venezolano —incluidas nuevas operadoras, la ampliación de operaciones existentes y la formación de empresas conjuntas—, con la condición expresa de que la ejecución de cualquier contrato quede sujeta a una autorización separada de OFAC. Cubre también la diligencia debida previa. No tiene fecha de vencimiento ni impone reporte periódico.
Implication
Es la mitad de inversión del par que completa la GL 61, y reproduce la figura que OFAC ya usó en minería con la GL 55 y de forma transversal con la GL 49A y la GL 56. La distinción es precisa: la GL 61 excluye expresamente formar nuevas JVs o entidades para invertir en el sector, y la GL 62 las admite solo en modo contingente. Un inversor puede estructurar la operación, hacer diligencia, presentarse a licitaciones y firmar, pero no desembolsar ni ejecutar sin una licencia específica posterior. Para quien evalúa exposición, esto fija el orden de la cola: primero se documenta el acuerdo, después se pide el permiso.
Indicator to monitor
La emisión de una licencia específica que autorice la ejecución de un contrato contingente firmado bajo esta licencia: es el hito que convierte la negociación en inversión y el que separa este marco de un anuncio. En paralelo: si CONATEL abre licitaciones formales al amparo de esta figura, y qué exigencias de domiciliación bajo la Ley Orgánica de Telecomunicaciones se imponen a las entidades que se constituyan.
Official license textShow

General License No. 62 — Authorizing Negotiations of and Entry Into Contingent Contracts for Investment in the Telecommunications Sector of Venezuela

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license, all transactions prohibited by the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 591 (the VSR), including those involving the Government of Venezuela, including but not limited to the Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL) and the Compania Anonima Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela (CANTV), that are related to the negotiation of and entry into contingent contracts for new investment in the telecommunications sector of Venezuela are authorized, provided that the performance of any such contract is made expressly contingent upon separate authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control ("contingent contracts").

Note 1 to Paragraph (a). For purposes of this general license, the term "contingent contracts" includes executory contracts, executory pro forma invoices, agreements in principle, executory offers capable of acceptance such as bids or proposals in response to public tenders, binding memoranda of understanding, or any other similar agreement.

Note 2 to Paragraph (a). Paragraph (a) authorizes negotiating and entering into contingent contracts to establish new telecommunication service providers in Venezuela, expand existing telecommunications operations in Venezuela, and to form new joint ventures or other entities in Venezuela related to the foregoing activities. Transactions authorized by paragraph (a) also include prefatory steps for such activities, such as conducting commercial, legal, technical, safety, and environmental due diligence and assessments. For purposes of this general license, telecommunications includes data, telephone, internet connectivity, radio, television, news wire feeds, and similar services, regardless of the medium of transmission, including transmission by satellite or through submarine cables.

(b) This general license does not authorize:

(1) Any transaction involving a person located in the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, the People's Republic of China, or any entity that is owned or controlled by or in a joint venture with such persons; or

(2) The unblocking of any property blocked pursuant to the VSR.

Note to General License No. 62. Nothing in this general license relieves any person from compliance with the requirements of other Federal agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission, the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecommunications Services Sector, and the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security.

Bradley T. Smith — Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control. Dated: August 21, 2026.

Official source

This summary does not constitute legal advice. The final determination of scope and applicability of any OFAC license requires consultation with qualified legal counsel and review of the official text published by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. VENE · ECONOMIST maintains this page as editorial reference for institutional investors.

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