Trump orders two-month ‘quarantine’ of Venezuelan oil
President Donald Trump ordered a two-month “quarantine” of Venezuela’s oil industry as part of a pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro, Reuters reported and a U.S. official confirmed to the washington Examiner.The move follows U.S. seizures of two tankers carrying Venezuelan oil and actions by the Coast Guard against another tanker in international waters. Management officials say the aim is to use economic pressure and sanctions to force Maduro into concessions – and to disrupt drug-trafficking cartels – while keeping military options available. Critics argue the measures signal an intent to seize control of Venezuela’s oil assets; the White House has said it may keep or sell seized crude and retain seized ships. Trump has also indicated plans to expand strikes against alleged narcotics operations to include land attacks on cartel targets in venezuela and elsewhere in the region.
Trump orders two-month ‘quarantine’ of Venezuelan oil
President Donald Trump ordered a two-month “quarantine” of Venezuela’s oil industry as the administration continues its pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Reuters first reported the order on Wednesday afternoon, which a senior U.S. official later confirmed to the Washington Examiner. Two days prior, Trump said at the White House that the U.S. Coast Guard was pursuing another tanker carrying Venezuelan oil in international waters, after seizing two tankers carrying Venezuelan oil in the Caribbean Sea.
“While military options still exist, the focus is to first use economic pressure by enforcing sanctions to reach the outcome the White House is looking,” an unnamed U.S. official told the outlet. “The efforts so far have put tremendous pressure on Maduro, and the belief is that by late January, Venezuela will be facing an economic calamity unless it agrees to make significant concessions to the U.S.”
The White House alleged that the brewing conflict with Venezuela is aimed at stopping cartels from trafficking narcotics into the United States. Since September, Trump has ordered dozens of “kinetic strikes” on boats allegedly carrying drug smugglers and narcotics in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
However, critics have suggested that Trump is eying a takeover of Venezuela’s oil industry.
In addition to the two outbound tankers seized off Venezuela’s coast by the U.S. military, Trump ordered a blockade of all “sanctioned oil tankers” from docking in Venezuelan ports.
Trump and other White House officials have repeatedly stated their intent to “keep” any crude oil seized from Venezuela’s sanctioned “shadow” fleet of tankers.
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“Maybe we’ll sell it, maybe we’ll keep it, maybe we’ll use it in the strategic reserve,” Trump said on Monday in Florida when asked about his plans for the millions of seized crude barrels. “We’re keeping the ships also.”
Trump has also signaled his intent to imminently expand his strikes against alleged drug boats to “land strikes” against cartel targets in Venezuela and other Latin American countries.
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