Trump announces a blockade on… "Sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers"
For its part, the Venezuelan government on Wednesday described the US President’s announcement as "Irrational" and"A hideous threat"
The government wrote in a statement "The President of the United States is trying to impose an alleged naval military blockade on Venezuela in an irrational way with the aim of stealing the wealth that belongs to our nation."
The United States has been creating A large military deployment in the Caribbean region, with the declared aim of combating drug trafficking in Latin America, with Venezuela being targeted in particular.
Caracas considers the operation a pressure campaign to oust the leftist Nicolas Maduro, whom Washington and many countries consider to be an illegitimate president.
After weeks of military aircraft flying off the coast of Venezuela and deadly strikes on boats that Washington accuses of drug smuggling, which resulted in the deaths of more than 90 In person, the Trump administration escalated its campaign last week by seizing an oil tanker as it was leaving the country.
Venezuela denounced before the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday the"theft" The oil tanker on December 10 was seized by the United States during a military operation carried out as part of its deployment in the Caribbean.
Trump wrote on his platform: "Truth Social", "Today, I issue an order to impose a complete and total blockade on all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela."
He added that the huge American naval fleet deployed in the Caribbean region "It will get bigger" Until you return Venezuela "To the United States of America all the oil, land and other assets it previously stole from us".
"Stolen oil fields"
The US President did not specify what type of oil or land he was referring to, but Venezuela nationalized its oil sector in the 1970s.Later, under former President Maduro Hugo Chavez, companies were forced to cede majority control to the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA.
Trump continued. "The illegitimate Maduro regime is using the oil from these stolen oil fields to finance itself, drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping.".
Washington was accused of theft
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro considered that the American military deployment close to his country is part of a plan to overthrow him and"theft" Abundant Venezuelan oil under the guise of an anti-narcotics operation.Although the United States imposes sanctions on the Venezuelan oil sector, seizing its exports could paralyze its faltering economy, which will reflect negatively on the Maduro regime.
Said Elias Ferrer of "Orinoco Reserves"a Venezuelan consulting firm, told AFP "If there are no oil exports, the country’s foreign exchange market and imports will be affected… and an economic crisis may occur".
He added "Not just an economic recession, but also a shortage of food and medicine, because we will not be able to import"
Venezuela, which has the largest oil reserves in the world, produces about one million barrels of oil per day, but since 2019 it has faced an embargo that forces it to sell it on the black market at reduced prices, especially to China.
