WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury

Department extended through mid-August a license protecting

Venezuela-owned oil refiner Citgo Petroleum from

creditors seeking to enforce judgments from past expropriations

and debt defaults, according to a Monday post on the

department's website.

The Treasury's general license 5-O bans transactions related

to Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA's 2020 bonds in the coming

months. The bonds were collateralized with a portion of Citgo's

equity.

A U.S. court-organized

auction of shares

in a Citgo parent to raise proceeds to pay off Venezuela

debts is due to wrap up in July, potentially leading to a change

in ownership of the seventh-largest U.S. refiner. The Treasury

must issue a separate license to complete any sale.

A spokesperson for the U.S State Department on Monday

said Washington does not plan to renew a temporary license set

to expire on Thursday that widely eased sanctions on Venezuela's

oil and gas sector, unless progress is made by President Nicolas

Maduro on commitments for free and fair elections this year.