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Adriana Goncalves

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Adriana has more than 15 years of experience in comprehensive corporate counseling and international operations. She has been a member of Baker McKenzie since 2014, developing her practice in Corporate Law (M&A/PE), Healthcare & Life Sciences, Compliance, and Competition & Antitrust. Adriana is one of the five lawyers in the country who were shortlisted as “Venezuela Lawyer of the Year” in the Chambers Women in Law Awards: Latin America 2018, and she has been ranked as Associate to Watch for three consecutive years by Chambers Latin America Guide 2023, 2024 and 2025. She is also a member of the Firm’s LA Healthcare & Life Sciences Steering Committee, the LA M&A Steering Committee and the LA Inclusion Diversity & Equity Steering Committee.

The National Superintendence of Securities (SUNAVAL) issued Administrative Ruling No. 251 on 27 March 2025, amending the Rules Regarding the Administration and Control of Risks Related to the Crimes of Money Laundering, Financing of Terrorism, Financing of the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Other Illicit Activities, Applicable to Entities Obligated by the National Superintendence of Securities. The Ruling establishes the parameters that entities acting in the securities market should follow and includes a new regulatory regime for money laundering, financing of terrorism, financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other illicit activities. The Ruling became effective on 27 March 2025.

On 2 May 2022, the National Assembly published the Partial Reform Law with the Rank, Value and Force of Law Against Corruption (“Reform”).
The Reform introduced, among others: (i) a broader definition of “Public Patrimony”; (ii) the obligation for electronic filing of the Sworn Statement of Net Worth through the creation of an automated system under the direction of the Office of the General Comptroller of the Republic; (iii) the annual update of the Affidavit; (iv) an increase in the sanctions by changing the Tax Unit for the official exchange rate of the currency of the highest value published by the Central Bank of Venezuela at the time of the payment; and (v) the unpaid suspension term for public officers.

The Central Bank of Venezuela issued Resolution No. 21-08-01 of 6 August 2021, containing the Regulations Governing the New Monetary Expression. The Resolution entered into force on 16 August 2021. However, the new monetary expression will apply as of 1 October 2021.