The Conflict between the USA and Venezuela threatens to escalate further. The United States announced at the United Nations that it was lifting sanctions against the regime Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to tighten. In Venezuela Meanwhile, parliament passed a law that provides for long prison sentences for supporters of the US blockade of oil tankers. The law was passed unanimously by President Nicolás Maduro’s party, which has an absolute majority in the unicameral National Assembly.
In his speech to the United Nations US Ambassador Mike Waltz said Sanctions would be imposed and enforced “to the greatest extent possible” in order to deprive the Venezuelan President of resources. “The reality is that sanctioned oil tankers are the main economic lifeline for Maduro and his illegitimate regime,” Waltz said.
The “Law to Guarantee Freedom of Navigation and Commerce in the Face of Piracy, Blockades and Other International Illegal Acts” passed in Venezuela was proposed after US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday the detention of a second oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.
Venezuela accuses USA of escalation
In mid-December, Trump ordered a blockade of “sanctioned” Venezuelan oil tankers heading to or leaving the South American country. This month, the US Coast Guard already has two tankers in the Caribbean intercepted, both of which were loaded with Venezuelan crude oil. The Coast Guard is also tracking a third empty ship that approached the country’s coast.
Trump accuses the left-wing nationalist Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of controlling drug gangs and targeting them USA to use. Maduro suspects the US actions are plotting to overthrow him. On Monday, Trump told reporters that it would be “wise” for Maduro to resign.
The threat does not come from Venezuela, but from the US government, said Venezuelan UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada. “It must be clear once and for all that there is no war in the Caribbean, no international armed conflict or even non-international, which is why it is absurd that the US government is trying to justify its actions using the rules of war,” he said.
Second session of the UN Security Council
China also called on the US to “immediately stop the relevant measures and avoid further escalation of tensions,” China’s deputy UN ambassador Sun Lei told the council. Venezuela, backed by Russia and China, requested the meeting on Tuesday. It was the second meeting on the escalating tensions.
The Security Council first met in October, when the United States justified its actions as consistent with Article 51 of the UN founding document, which requires the Security Council to be informed immediately of any measures taken by states in self-defense against armed attack.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has been waging a campaign of deadly attacks against suspected drug trafficking boats off the Venezuelan coast and Latin America’s Pacific coast for months. Trump also recently threatened attacks on Venezuelan territory.
At least 104 people have been killed so far in attacks on suspected drug smugglers’ ships. No evidence was presented that they were actually drug smugglers. The US also stationed warships in the Caribbean, including the world’s largest aircraft carrier.
