T
he US escalation against Nicolas Maduro's regime in Venezuela shows little sign of easing. Following the deployment of the largest US naval force in the Caribbean Sea since the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 and a series of strikes against ships accused of being used by drug traffickers, Donald Trump announced, on Tuesday, December 16, a "total and complete blockade" against oil tankers under US sanctions, either going to or leaving Venezuela.
The tactic, which cannot halt all oil exports, had already been put into practice, with the seizure of a tanker in early December. The objective is clear: to increase pressure on Venezuela's economy and hasten Maduro's removal from power.
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Trump increases pressure on Maduro but stops short of action
