The Trump administration has told Venezuela’s interim president that Caracas must cut economic ties with China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba and agree to partner exclusively with the United States on oil production before it will be allowed to pump or sell more crude, according to US officials familiar with the plan. Washington views these conditions as leverage to reorient Venezuela’s oil sector toward US interests, arguing that the country’s oil tankers are currently full and its economy could soon falter without resumed exports. The White House says the strategy aims to exert maximum pressure for cooperation on issues like migration and drug trafficking, while Chinese officials have condemned the demands as coercive and a breach of Venezuela’s sovereignty.
The Trump administration has told Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez that the regime must meet the White House’s demands before being allowed to pump more oil, according to three people familiar with the administration’s plan.
First, the country must kick out China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba and sever economic ties, the sources said. Second, Venezuela must agree to partner exclusively with the U.S. on oil production and favor America when selling heavy crude oil, they added. […]
“The government does intend to control the oil, taking charge of the ships, the tankers, and none of them are going to go to Havana,” Wicker said. “And until they start moving — we hope to the open market — there are no more tankers to fill, because they’re totally full.” […]
When asked by reporters the following day what that meant, Trump said, “it’s just a blockade. Not going to let anybody going through that shouldn’t be going through.”
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