José Vielma Mora
National Assembly Deputy (PSUV/Carabobo) — in office since 2021-01
At a glance
José Vielma Mora is a PSUV deputy and the Venezuelan legislature's leading advocate for special economic zones. Sanctioned by OFAC in 2019 and indicted by the DOJ in 2021 over the CLAP corruption scheme, he previously served as Governor of Táchira (2012–2017).
Who is José Vielma Mora?
José Gregorio Vielma Mora is a former military officer turned politician who has held senior posts across Venezuela's government for more than two decades. He graduated from the Venezuelan Military Academy in 1987 — in the same class as Diosdado Cabello and Jesse Chacón — and participated as a captain in the failed February 4, 1992 coup attempt led by Hugo Chávez against President Carlos Andrés Pérez. Imprisoned for two years, he was pardoned by President Rafael Caldera in 1994 and transitioned into civilian public administration. He served as Superintendent of SENIAT, Venezuela's national tax and customs agency, from 2000 to 2008, then won the Táchira governorship in 2012 after Chávez personally nominated him. He lost reelection in 2017 to opposition candidate Laidy Gómez, who took 63 percent of the vote.
Vielma Mora was sanctioned by Canada in November 2017 for corruption and human-rights violations, and by the U.S. Treasury (OFAC) in July 2019 for his alleged involvement in the CLAP food-distribution corruption scheme. According to the Treasury Department, he received bribes from businessman Alex Saab in exchange for facilitating food imports through Táchira state. In October 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice filed criminal charges in the Southern District of Florida alleging Vielma Mora received approximately $17.2 million in bribes and conspired to launder proceeds from a scheme worth at least $1.6 billion. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
Since January 2021, Vielma Mora has served as a National Assembly deputy representing Carabobo state. He chairs the Subcommittee on Productive Economy and has become the legislature's most prominent advocate for special economic zones as an industrial-development strategy. He was a vocal supporter of the 2022 Organic Law of Special Economic Zones and in May 2026 proposed that Maracaibo and San Francisco in Zulia state be designated as industrial ZEEs — alongside corridors in the Central Regional Axis, Valles del Tuy, and the Táchira–Norte de Santander border region. He has cited the Asian development model, particularly Shenzhen and Vietnam, as the template for Venezuela's industrial recovery.
Also known as: José Gregorio Vielma Mora; Vielma Mora.
Career timeline
- 1987 — Graduated from the Venezuelan Military Academy alongside Diosdado Cabello and Jesse Chacón
- 1992 — Participated in the February 4 coup attempt against President Carlos Andrés Pérez; imprisoned for two years
- 1994 — Pardoned by President Rafael Caldera and discharged from active military service
- 2000–2008 — Superintendent of SENIAT (Venezuela's national tax and customs agency)
- 2012–2017 — Governor of Táchira state; won with 54% after Chávez's personal nomination; lost 2017 reelection to Laidy Gómez (63%)
- 2017–2018 — Minister of Foreign Trade and International Investment under Nicolás Maduro
- 2017 — Sanctioned by Canada under the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act
- 2019 — Sanctioned by U.S. Treasury (OFAC SDN Entry #26994) for alleged role in CLAP corruption scheme
- 2021 — Elected to the National Assembly representing Carabobo; DOJ files money-laundering charges in the Southern District of Florida
- 2022 — Supported passage of the Organic Law of Special Economic Zones in the National Assembly
- 2026 — Proposed Maracaibo and San Francisco as industrial special economic zones during ANTV interview (May)
Network & connections
The following figures are part of José Vielma Mora's direct political, cabinet, or institutional network — useful for compliance teams mapping the wider Venezuelan power structure:
Frequently asked questions
▸ Who is José Vielma Mora?
▸ Why is José Vielma Mora sanctioned?
▸ What is Vielma Mora's special economic zone proposal?
▸ What are the DOJ charges against Vielma Mora?
Sources & further reading
- U.S. Treasury — OFAC SDN Entry #26994
- U.S. Treasury Press Release SM741 — CLAP corruption network
- Asamblea Nacional — Vielma Mora propone ZEE industrial para Maracaibo y San Francisco
- Caracas Chronicles — U.S. accuses Vielma Mora of role in Saab corruption scheme
- Wikipedia — José Vielma Mora
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.
- How to invest in Venezuela (2026 sanctions-safe guide)
- Browse all Venezuelan power figures
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