OFSI sanctions listing
Jose Adelino ORNELA FERREIRA
Jose Adelino ORNELA FERREIRA is an individual designated on the HM Treasury — Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) (OFSI) sanctions list under the Venezuela programme, listed on 30/06/2020. Major General. This page summarises the public designation — known aliases, Venezuela nationality, identifying particulars, the stated reason for listing and linked parties — alongside an independent, transparent risk indicator.
Reason for listing
(UK Sanctions List Ref):VEN0026. (UK Statement of Reasons):Chief of Staff of the Commander-in-Chief FANB, Deputy Minister of Monitoring and Inspection of Government Administration, and Secretary General of the National Defence Council (SECODENA). José Adelino Ornelas Ferreira has been Second in Command and Chief of Staff of Strategic Command Operations of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (CEOFANB) since June 2017, having been appointed to the post by Nicolas Maduro. The CEOFANB is the highest point of command in the Venezuelan armed forces. The CEOFANB sets the strategic direction of all strands of the Venezuelan military (Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Guard (GNB)), coordinates them, and implements operations. Since September 2020, Ornelas has been the Chief of the General Staff to the Commander in Chief. There is reliable evidence that the GNB has committed serious human rights violations during Ferreira’s period in charge. A report by OHCHR in 2018 documents incidents of people deprived of their liberty and subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and (in many cases possibly) torture, reportedly carried out in part by the GNB. Some of these incidents occurred in the period that Ferreira has held the position of Commander of the CEOFANB. As a commander of the CEOFANB, and Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief and Strategic Command Operations, and thus in charge of the GNB, there are reasonable grounds to suspect that Ferreira was involved in those acts. There is reliable evidence that the GNB used excessive force against people in the Pemon territory in February 2019, including killing three people, and carried out extrajudicial killings of an alleged terrorist group in El Junquito, Caracas. As a CEOFANB Commander and Chief of Staff at the time, there are reasonable grounds to suspect that Ferreira was involved in those grave human rights violations. Finally, there is reliable evidence that In May 2019 members of the Venezuelan National Guard (GNB), which sits under the command of the CEOFANB, during Ferreira’s time in role, used tear gas to disperse a march of opposition supporters. Due to his role, Ferreira is partially responsible for this repression of civil society and violation of freedom of expression. (Gender):Male
Statement of reasons as published by UK OFSI. This is the issuing authority's wording, reproduced for reference.
Designation record
| List / authority | UK OFSI (OFSI) — Venezuela |
|---|---|
| Entity type | Person |
| Programmes / regime | Venezuela |
| Date listed | 30/06/2020 |
| Source record ID | ofsi:13841 |
| Last updated (our copy) | 2026-06-04 |
Identity & particulars
| Position / role | Major General |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14/12/1964 |
| Place of birth | Caracas, Distrito Capital, Venezuela |
| Nationality / country | Venezuela |
| National ID(s) | V-7087964 |
| Address(es) | Venezuela |
Deep-research dossier
Not yet deep-researched
The instant review above is drawn from the public lists. A deep-research dossier goes much further — an analyst-grade OSINT report: associate & co-investment network screening, structural / ownership opacity, a dated risk trajectory, an 8-factor scoring model, and numbered, source-linked evidence. See the format in the design system.
Clarifications & right of reply
Are you Jose Adelino ORNELA FERREIRA, or an authorised representative?
You — or your counsel or agent — can file a clarification and supporting documents against this record. Filings are reviewed and verified before anything is published; submissions are never posted automatically.
File a clarification or document
Source & provenance
| Issuing authority | HM Treasury — Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) |
|---|---|
| Source identifier | ofsi:13841 |
| Aggregated by | Sanctiometer (independent) — verify against the issuing authority's official list before acting. |