SANCTIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/VENEZUELA: “U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday [5-21-18] put in place new economic sanctions aimed at Venezuela in an executive order banning U.S. citizens from being involved in sales of that country’s accounts receivables related to oil and other assets. ‘Today’s executive order closes another avenue for corruption that we have observed being used: it denies corrupt Venezuelan officials the ability to improperly value and sell off public assets in return for kickbacks,’ a senior administration official told reporters.”
-Reuters Staff, “In new sanctions, Trump bans buying Venezuelan debt for cash,” Reuters, May 21, 2018 11:18 am