Trump vows to block unauthorised passage through Venezuela blockade

ONE day after U.S. President Donald J. Trump ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers sailing into or out of Venezuelan waters, he told reporters on Wednesday (December 17) that he wouldn't let anybody through that "shouldn't be going through."

AI Brief

Venezuela calls Trump's blockade plan a "grotesque threat," citing violations of international law and free navigation.
Maduro claims US aims to topple him and seize Venezuela's massive oil reserves.
US enforcement remains unclear after Coast Guard seized a Venezuelan oil tanker last week.

Venezuela called Trump's blockade a "grotesque threat" in a statement on Tuesday night, saying he was violating international law, free commerce and the right of free navigation.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has alleged that the U.S. military build-up is aimed at overthrowing him and gaining control of the OPEC nation's oil resources. Venezuela holds the world's largest crude reserves.

It is unclear how the U.S. would enforce the blockade, and whether it would turn to the U.S. Coast Guard to interdict vessels. The Coast Guard was involved in the seizure last week of the supertanker Skipper near Venezuela, which was the first U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan oil cargo.