EDITORIAL. The US administration has put pressure on Venezuela's economy in an effort to hasten the ouster of Nicolas Maduro. In doing so, it is paving the way for a return to unilateral gunboat diplomacy and underestimating the destabilizing effects this could have across Latin America.

It comes a week after the US seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela and as the Trump administration increases pressure on the country's government.

The order comes a week after the US military seized an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast.