WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump has announced that he is ordering 'a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into, and out of, Venezuela.'
In a lengthy statement he posted on Truth Social Tuesday, Trump said he is designating the Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela a foreign terrorist organization 'For the theft of our assets, and many other reasons, including terrorism, drug smuggling, and human trafficking.'
The harshest punitive action from any U.S. President so far targeting Caracas is aimed at putting economic pressure on the regime in addition to the ongoing U.S. military campaign in the region.
Trump began the statement by saying that Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America. He warned that 'It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before - Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.'
Dozens of people were killed in U.S. military strikes targeting boats it alleged were smuggling fentanyl and other illegal drugs from Venezuela to the United States in recent months, and a Venezuelan oil-laden tanker was seized last week.
Also, U.S. warships are patrolling the Caribbean waters off Venezuela.
Trump accused the Maduro Regime of using oil from the stolen U.S. oil fields to finance themselves, drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder and kidnapping.
'The illegal aliens and criminals that the Maduro Regime has sent into the United States during the weak and inept Biden Administration are being returned to Venezuela at a rapid pace,' he added.
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