Venezuela - Prohibited & Restricted Imports Venezuela - Prohibited Imports
Some products, such as cigarette paper, bank notes, weapons, and certain explosives can be imported only by government agencies; however, the government can also delegate authority to import on its behalf, placing orders for such products with the local sales agents of the foreign manufacturers.
The last update about eligibility for exports to Venezuela was in March 24, 2015. Pork from most countries is unofficially banned, but in 2016 significant volumes of pork products (25,039 T) were imported from Portugal and Brazil to meet heightened holiday demand. Officially pork is eligible for import from the United States. Select bovine products from the U.S., such as beef and beef products, are officially banned due to antiquated concerns about Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE); however, a U.S. live cattle trade protocol was signed and some imports have been made in 2017. Raw poultry from U.S. also remains banned due to outbreaks of avian influenza, but cooked poultry products are permitted. No phytosanitary import protocol exists for potato seeds coming from the United States, even though importer interest exists. Contact AgCaracas@fas.usda.gov for more details.
Military and law enforcement, as well as sports and agricultural organizations, are allowed to purchase firearms and ammunition through channels approved by the National Directorate of Firearms and Explosives (DAEX)( https://cpa.daex.mil.ve/). Since March 1, 2012, all other sale, purchase, or importation of firearms, ammunition, and firearms-related accessories has been prohibited.