- Oil prices rise over 1% following blockade announcement
- Trump labels Venezuelan “regime” a foreign terrorist organization
- Venezuela rejects Trump’s “grotesque threat”
- Maduro claims US aims to control Venezuela’s vast oil reserves
WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump ordered on Tuesday a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, in Washington’s latest move to increase pressure on Nicolas Maduro’s government, targeting its main source of income.
It is unclear how Trump will impose the move against the sanctioned vessels, and whether he will turn to the Coast Guard to interdict vessels like he did last week. The administration has moved thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships – including an aircraft carrier – to the region.
