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.

The moves comes after U.S. forces last week seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, an unusual move that followed a buildup of military forces in the region.

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.