The Maduro assets freeze initiated by Switzerland has struck a blow against the “financial backbone” of the Nicolás Maduro regime. Following the political collapse in Venezuela and the extradition of the dictator to the U.S., Bern has activated a mechanism to block the capital accumulated through years of corruption.
On January 5, the Swiss Federal Department of Finance officially announced the initiation of legal proceedings for the seizure of assets and the comprehensive freezing of accounts belonging to 37 key figures of the Venezuelan elite.
These current measures are not merely sanctions but a formal legal procedure based on the Federal Act on Illicit Assets (FIAA). Bern has set a deadline: the freeze takes effect immediately and will last until January 4, 2030. During this period, Swiss courts must prove the illegal origin of the funds. If this is achieved (which is highly likely, given Maduro’s testimony in New York), the assets will be permanently confiscated and, theoretically, could be used for the reconstruction of Venezuela.
The “Black List” of 37: Who Was Targeted
The list, published in the official appendix to the decree, includes not only politicians but also their immediate relatives, former clerics linked to money laundering, and businessmen who built empires on state contracts.
We have divided the individuals on the list into key influence groups.
1. The Maduro-Flores Clan (The Family). Their assets are considered the most toxic
The biggest blow targets the former president’s inner circle: Nicolás Maduro Moros (ex-President), Cilia Flores (his wife, deputy, and the de facto matriarch of the clan), and the “children of the revolution”—Walter, Yoswal, and Yosser Gavidia Flores (Cilia Flores’ sons from a previous marriage). They have frequently been accused of maintaining lavish lifestyles abroad using public funds.
2. Architects and Ministers of Chavismo
Former government leaders who oversaw the country’s key cash flows: Jorge Arreaza (former Vice President and son-in-law of Hugo Chávez), Rafael Ramírez (former head of PDVSA and the country’s former “oil czar,” who long hid in Europe), Simón Zerpa (former Minister of Economy), and Haiman El Troudi (former Minister of Transport, known for scandals related to Odebrecht contracts).
3. Oil Sector (PDVSA)
Individuals who directly managed the state oil company’s «black cash fund»: Carlos Eric Malpica Flores (nephew of Cilia Flores, PDVSA Treasurer), Nervis Villalobos (former Deputy Minister of Energy, implicated in numerous cases in Spain and the US), Eudomario Carruyo, and Francisco Jiménez Villarroel.
4. “Boliburguesía” (Business Sector)
Entrepreneurs who amassed billions through shadowy government deals, currency manipulation, and the energy crisis.
☽ Derwick Associates: The list includes Alejandro Betancourt, Francisco Convit, and Pedro Trebbau. This group is accused of embezzling billions through the supply of non-operational power plant equipment.
☽ Media Moguls: Raúl Gorrín and Gustavo Perdomo (owners of the Globovisión TV channel). Gorrín has long been wanted in the US for money laundering.
What This Means for Venezuela
Switzerland is traditionally considered a «save haven» for capital, but the decision made on January 5 shatters that stereotype. Freezing assets until 2030 denies the Maduro clan access to resources needed to pay lawyers or attempt to destabilize the situation in Venezuela from abroad.
For the new interim administration in Caracas, this is an important precedent, as it creates a legal corridor for the return of stolen billions, which can now serve as the foundation for reviving the country’s economy.
To illustrate the scale of the freeze, NEWSROOM IN has prepared an infographic based on Swiss investigative data (specifically reports referenced by Le Matin Dimanche and Tribune de Genève) and US Department of Justice indictments.
The chart presents the estimated sums of assets linked to the key individuals on the list.
Key Figures from the “Swiss Vault”:
☾ $10 Billion (Total Estimate): Even before the 2026 events, Swiss regulators (FINMA) and prosecutors identified approximately 9–10 billion Swiss francs of «suspicious funds» held in hundreds of accounts linked to Venezuela. The January 5 decision effectively «cements» this amount.
☾ Alejandro Betancourt ($2.6 Billion): The largest individual “target.” His wealth, built on energy contracts (Derwick Associates), has long been under scrutiny.
☾ Raúl Gorrín ($1 Billion): The owner of Globovisión, accused in the US of laundering over a billion dollars, some of which passed through Swiss banks (including Compagnie Bancaire Helvétique).
☾ Nervis Villalobos ($600 Million): Former Deputy Minister of Energy, whose accounts in Andorra and Switzerland became a classic example of corruption within PDVSA.
