PORTUGUESE DEMARCHED ON OFAC NARCOTICS KINGPIN ACT

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 002588 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2018 TAGS: LE KTFN KCRM PTER PINR EFIN SNAR PREL PO SUBJECT: PORTUGUESE DEMARCHED ON OFAC NARCOTICS KINGPIN ACT DESIGNATION OF THREE SENIOR VENEZUELAN OFFICIALS REF: SECSTATE 97316 Classified By: Dana M. Brown, Pol-Econ Officer, Embassy Lisbon Reason 1.4 (b) ¶1. (U) Pol-Econ Officer informed Portuguese MFA America's Director Helena Coutinho and EU Deputy Correspondent Florbela Cardy of the Kingpin designation on Venezuelan officials on September 12 per reftel request. Neither offered a response specifically to the notification, but MFA officials have told us in several conversations that Portugal prefers to institute sanctions multilaterally through the UN or EU, rather than bilaterally. ¶2. (C) Comment: Portugal is strengthening its ties to Venezuela this year and is unlikely to do anything that would endanger future energy cooperation or the well-being of the roughly 500,000 strong Portuguese community resident there. STEPHENSON