President Donald Trump has vowed to maintain a strict blockade on Venezuela, escalating tensions as the US House of Representatives narrowly rejected measures to limit his administration’s actions against the South American nation. This comes after Trump ordered a blockade on all sanctioned oil tankers heading to Venezuela.
In a significant escalation, Trump declared a comprehensive blockade on oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, while also designating President Nicolas Maduro’s regime as a terrorist organization. This move follows Trump’s announcement last week that the United States had seized an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast, an unusual action taken after a build-up of US military forces in the region.
“I will not allow anyone to break the blockade on Venezuela unless authorized,” Trump stated yesterday. He further claimed that Venezuela had taken American oil and that he intends to recover it after the expulsion of US companies from the country. Trump also alleged, via his Truth Social platform, that Venezuela is using oil to finance drug trafficking and other crimes.
“The shock they will receive will be unprecedented until they return to the United States the oil, land, and assets they have stolen,” he declared. Trump ominously added, “Land attacks are coming soon,” without providing any specific details regarding locations.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives narrowly failed to pass two resolutions on Wednesday aimed at curbing Trump’s Venezuela policy, amid widespread speculation that the President is considering military action against the oil-rich nation. These votes occurred hours before Trump’s scheduled address from the White House. The speech, anticipated to focus on his perceived domestic achievements, was also expected to touch upon foreign policy priorities following his blockade order on sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela.
The failed attempt to restrain Trump underscores the growing concerns within Congress regarding the potential for further escalation in the US-Venezuela relationship. The coming weeks will be critical in determining the trajectory of this increasingly volatile situation.
