US President Donald Trump has mentioned he’s ordering a “a complete and full” blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela.
In a publish on Reality Social, he mentioned Venezuelan chief Nicolás Maduro’s authorities had been designated a overseas terrorist organisation and accused it of stealing US belongings, in addition to “Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking”.
“Due to this fact, in the present day, I’m ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” he added.
His remarks got here per week after the US seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. In an announcement, Venezuela’s authorities mentioned it rejected Trump’s “grotesque menace”.
In his publish, Trump mentioned Venezuela was “fully surrounded by the biggest Armada ever assembled within the Historical past of South America”.
He added that it’s going to “solely get greater” and “be like nothing they’ve ever seen earlier than”.
Trump additionally accused Maduro’s authorities of utilizing stolen oil to “finance themselves, Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Homicide, and Kidnapping”.
The Trump administration has repeatedly accused Venezuela of drug smuggling, and since September the US army has killed a minimum of 90 folks in strikes on boats it alleged had been carrying fentanyl and different unlawful medicine to the US.
In current months, the US has additionally moved warships into the area.
Venezuela – house to a number of the world’s largest confirmed oil reserves – has, in flip, accused Washington of searching for to steal its assets.
The US, underneath each Trump and former President Joe Biden, has opposed the Maduro authorities for years and pressed for him to be eliminated by instituting stringent sanctions.
Final week, the US imposed contemporary sanctions on six extra ships it mentioned had been carrying Venezuelan oil.
Sanctions had been additionally positioned on a few of President Maduro’s family and on companies related to what the US referred to as his illegitimate regime.
A day earlier the US mentioned it had seized a tanker off Venezuela’s coast.
The White Home mentioned the seized vessel, referred to as the Skipper, had been concerned in “illicit oil transport” and can be taken to an American port.
Venezuela’s authorities denounced the seizure, with Maduro saying the US “kidnapped the crew” and “stole” the ship.
The US had constructed up its army presence within the Caribbean Sea, which borders Venezuela to the north, within the days earlier than the raid.
It concerned 1000’s of troops and USS Gerald Ford – the world’s largest plane provider– being positioned inside putting distance of Venezuela.
