The ordinance seals the international circle against Nicolás Maduro’s inner circle, but not the rest of the criminal regime. Only one faction has fallen from grace.
In a decision with high geopolitical and financial impact, the Swiss Federal Council activated an Asset Freezing Ordinance related to Venezuela, immobilizing assets, accounts, and holdings linked to politically exposed persons in the Venezuelan power structure. This measure, effective immediately and lasting until 2030, transforms Switzerland —historically a global financial haven— into an impassable wall for illicit capital associated with chavismo.
The ordinance is based on the Federal Law on Freezing and Restituting Illegally Acquired Assets by Foreign Politically Exposed Persons (SRVG) and activates an automatic mechanism for inter-institutional cooperation: foreign affairs, prosecutors, financial authorities, and judicial assistance agencies are obliged to share information and execute seizures without delays.
What the ordinance entails
Total asset freezing (accounts, property, securities, luxury items).
Immediate executive measures, including real estate registrations and physical seizures when necessary.
Mandatory criminal cooperation among Swiss prosecutors, finance, and foreign relations.
Long-term protective measures: effective from January 5, 2026 (11:00 AM) until January 4, 2030.
This isn’t just a symbolic sanction: it’s a legal framework designed to resist litigation, track ultimate beneficiaries, and facilitate possible restitutions.
The list that breaks the silence
At the top of the annex is Nicolás Maduro Moros, former president of Venezuela (2013–2026). Surrounding him is a web of relatives, former ministers, bankers, energy operators, and businessmen linked to strategic sectors like PDVSA, electricity, public banking, and infrastructure contracts.
Among the key names are:
Nicolás Maduro Moros
Javier Alvarado Ochoa
Alejandro José Andrade Cedeño
Jorge Arreaza
Angélica María Barrios Noriega
Leopoldo Alejandro Betancourt López
Pedro Binaggia
Eudomario Carruyo Rondón
Josefina Contreras Hernández
Francisco Antonio Convit Guruceaga
Luis Carlos De León Pérez
Haiman El Troudi
Omar Jesús Farías Luces
Cilia Adela Gavidia Flores de Maduro
Walter Jacob Gavidia Flores
Yosser Daniel Gavidia Flores
Yoswal Alexander Gavidia Flores
Leonardo Gonzales Dellán
Eudoro Antonio González Dellán
José Ángel González Dellán
Raúl Antonio Gorrín Belisario
Alejandro Isturiz Chiesa
Francisco Rafael Jiménez Villarroel
Adolfo Ledo Nass
Álvaro Ledo Nass
Carlos Erik Malpica Flores
Gustavo Adolfo Perdomo Rosales
Rafael Darío Ramírez Carreño
Diego José Salazar Carreño
Abraham José Shiera Bastidas
Pedro José Trebbau López
Carmelo Antonio Urdaneta Aquí
Nervis Gerardo Villalobos Cárdenas
María Isabel Villalobos Orono
Nervis Alejandro Villalobos
Rafael Eduardo Wolkmar Cedeño
Simón Alejandro Zerpa Delgado
Inclusion does not distinguish between past or present roles: the criteria is the connection to power and the risk of illicit assets, not political rhetoric.
Why Switzerland and why now
Switzerland acts not out of ideological alignment, but for the defense of the international financial system. The ordinance:
Closes historical routes for money laundering and asset concealment.
Strengthens ongoing criminal investigations in other jurisdictions.
Sends a clear message to banks, fiduciaries, and asset managers: zero tolerance.
The timing is crucial. With judicial processes advancing outside Venezuela and increased transnational cooperation, Bern anticipates capital movements and blocks leaks before they happen.
This decision tightens the noose around the core of chavismo and uncouples political power from access to international liquidity. For those affected, the message is clear: there is no safe haven. For other countries, it sets an operational precedent: sanctions aren’t enough; freezing, seizing, and cooperating are essential.
While discourses fade, the freezing of assets hits the hardest. The Swiss ordinance doesn’t promise future justice: it enforces it in the present. And by doing so, it redefines the board for those who have for years turned political power into private wealth.
Valid until 2030, this measure isn’t just an episode: it’s a prolonged phase of financial strangulation. The final message is clear and forceful: the money from Venezuelan power is no longer safe.