Colombia’s Bet on Venezuelan Fertilizer Backfires as U.S. Targets

Monómeros Colombo Venezolanos, a major fertilizer producer in Colombia, faces a shutdown risk as its U.S. Treasury license will soon expire. This license, first granted in 2019, allows Monómeros to operate despite U.S. sanctions against Venezuela.

Monómeros is fully owned by Venezuela’s state petrochemical company, Pequiven, which is part of the Venezuelan government. The license expiry directly targets Venezuelan state blockets and is part of broader U.S. measures against the government of Nicolás Maduro.

Monómeros produces about 28% of the fertilizers used in Colombia. The company also makes animal feed and chemicals like ammonia and phosphoric acid, which are essential for Colombian farmers and food producers.

Monómeros has supplied these products for over twenty years, making it a vital link in Colombia’s food supply chain. If the license is not renewed, Monómeros will lose access to the global financial system.

The company will not be able to pay suppliers, buy raw materials, or sell its products. This would likely force Monómeros to stop operating. The result would be a sharp drop in fertilizer supply and higher costs for Colombian farmers.

Many small producers depend on Monómeros for affordable fertilizers, so the impact could spread quickly through Colombia’s agricultural sector.

The U.S. sanctions that led to this situation aim to pressure the Venezuelan government by targeting its foreign blockets. Monómeros has already faced years of uncertainty, with changes in management and oversight from Colombian authorities.

The company even tried to sell blockets to a Colombian firm to avoid problems, but the Colombian government blocked the sale, arguing Monómeros is too important for national food security.

Colombian officials warn that if Monómeros closes, the country will struggle to replace its fertilizer supply. Prices could rise, and food production could slow, affecting both farmers and consumers.

The company’s future now depends on whether the U.S. renews its license, but official sources suggest a renewal is unlikely. This situation highlights how international sanctions and political tensions can have real effects on local economies.

Monómeros stands at the center of a dispute between the U.S., Venezuela, and Colombia, with the livelihoods of Colombian farmers hanging in the balance.

The license expiry is not just a bureaucratic issue—it is a direct move against a Venezuelan state blocket that could reshape Colombia’s agricultural landscape.