EXECUTIVE & CABINET Profile updated May 2026

Tareck El Aissami

Former Vice President and Oil Minister of Venezuela

Born: 1974-11-12 Nationality: Venezuelan Affiliations: PSUV Cohorts: Executive & cabinet, PDVSA & energy

At a glance

Tareck El Aissami is a former Executive Vice President and former Oil Minister of Venezuela — long one of the most powerful figures in the Maduro government before being arrested in 2024 on corruption charges.

Who is Tareck El Aissami?

Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah served as Executive Vice President of Venezuela (2017–2018), Minister of Industries and National Production, and Minister of Petroleum (2020–2023). He was added to the OFAC SDN list in 2017, with the U.S. Treasury calling him a 'prominent Venezuelan drug trafficker' in the designation announcement.

El Aissami resigned the Oil Ministry in March 2023 amid a major PDVSA corruption probe and was arrested by Venezuelan authorities in April 2024 on charges including treason and money laundering. His arrest is one of the most consequential internal Bolivarian-government rifts since the death of Hugo Chávez.

Also known as: Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah.

Career timeline

2017 — Added to the OFAC SDN list under Venezuela-related sanctions
2017–2018 — Executive Vice President of Venezuela
2020–2023 — Minister of Petroleum and President of PDVSA's holding board
2023 — Resigned the Oil Ministry amid a major PDVSA corruption probe
2024 — Arrested by Venezuelan authorities on treason and money-laundering charges

Network & connections

The following figures are part of Tareck El Aissami's direct political, cabinet, or institutional network — useful for compliance teams mapping the wider Venezuelan power structure:

Frequently asked questions

▸ Who is Tareck El Aissami?

Tareck El Aissami is a former Executive Vice President of Venezuela (2017–2018) and former Oil Minister (2020–2023). He has been on the OFAC SDN list since 2017 and was arrested in 2024 by Venezuelan authorities on treason and money-laundering charges connected to a major PDVSA corruption investigation.

▸ Why is Tareck El Aissami significant for sanctions and oil-sector compliance?

As Oil Minister and de-facto head of PDVSA's holding board from 2020–2023, El Aissami was the central counterparty for foreign oil-sector negotiations with Venezuela during the OFAC general-license window. His subsequent arrest signaled a significant internal rupture and reshaped the PDVSA leadership team.

Sources & further reading

Useful tools and explainers

Browse all active OFAC Venezuela SDN designations — the live US Treasury tracker for individuals, entities, vessels, and aircraft.
OFAC Venezuela sanctions checker — paste any name to check it against the active SDN list.
Sector context for Tareck El Aissami's role — regulatory framework, OFAC pathways, and current deal flow.
How to invest in Venezuela (2026 sanctions-safe guide)
Browse all Venezuelan power figures

Other executive & cabinet

6 more in this cohort

Maduro government, vice-presidents, ministers, and the inner circle.

EXECUTIVE & CABINET

Arianny Seijo Noguera

Arianny Seijo Noguera is the Attorney General of Venezuela (Fiscal General de la República), heading the Public Ministry and the country's federal-prosecution apparatus.

Attorney General of Venezuela

Open profile EXECUTIVE & CABINET

Cilia Flores

Cilia Flores is a member of the Venezuelan National Assembly, longtime PSUV leader, and the wife of President Nicolás Maduro — a senior figure in her own right within the Bolivarian movement.

Member of the National Assembly and First Lady of Venezuela

Open profile EXECUTIVE & CABINET

Delcy Rodríguez

Delcy Rodríguez is Venezuela's Executive Vice President and Minister of Economy and Finance — the senior cabinet figure managing the economic relationship with U.S. sanctions and PDVSA.

Executive Vice President of Venezuela

Open profile

See everyone in executive & cabinet