Venezuela fires back over US blockade

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. - AP PHOTO

THE Venezuelan government fired back at the US over President Donald Trump's announcement on December 16 of a total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela, further escalating tensions between the two nations.

In response to the announcement, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez issued a statement on Telegram at 11.10 pm on December 16, rejecting Trump's "grotesque threat" and reaffirming Venezuela's commitment to defending its sovereignty and natural resources.

The two-page statement accused Trump of launching a "reckless and grave threat" against the Bolivarian, which it added violates international law, free trade, and free navigation.

"He claims on his social media that Venezuela's oil, land, and mineral wealth are his property," the statement said.

"Consequently, Venezuela must immediately hand over all its riches. The US president seeks to impose an irrational naval blockade on Venezuela in order to steal the wealth that belongs to our homeland."

Earlier, at 7.46 pm, Trump posted a message on the social media platform Truth Social, saying the US will not allow criminals, terrorists, or other countries to rob, threaten, or harm the nation.

Trump added that, likewise, the US will not allow a "hostile regime to take our oil, land, or any other assets, all of which must be returned to the US, immediately."

The Nicolas Maduro regime highlighted that Venezuela will continue to exercise its rights under international laws, including its right "to free navigation and trade in the Caribbean Sea and the world's oceans."

"Consequently, Venezuela will proceed in strict adherence to international law, the UN Charter to fully exercise its freedom, jurisdiction, and sovereignty despite these warmongering threats," the statement said.

"Our ambassador to the UN will immediately denounce this grave violation of international law against Venezuela. We call upon the people of the US and the peoples of the world to reject this extravagant threat by any means necessary."

The statement once again accused Trump of trying to steal the wealth of Venezuela, the birth country of Liberator Simon Bolivar.

The statement said, "The Venezuelan people, united in popular, military, and police forces, will defend their historic rights and prevail on the path to peace."

Criticising Trump's announcement as an "interventionist and colonialist statement," the Venezuelan government stressed that Trump's "true intention" is to appropriate Venezuela's oil, land, and minerals through gigantic campaigns of lies and manipulation."

"Venezuela will never again be a colony of any empire or foreign power, and it will continue with its people along the path of building prosperity and defending its independence and sovereignty," the statement said.

"The Venezuelan people remain firm in their care of their territory, wealth, and freedom. With our Liberator, we say: 'Fortunately, a handful of free men has been seen defeating powerful empires.'"

In Trump's declaration of the oil naval blockade, he said Venezuela is surrounded by the largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America.

"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 US all of the oil, land, and other assets that they previously stole from us."

Trump, who has repeatedly referred to the Maduro regime as illegitimate, accused that regime of using oil from these stolen oil fields to "finance themselves, drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping."

Maduro has repeatedly denied being involved in any narcoterrorism.

Trump's post declared that "for the theft of our assets, and many other reasons, including terrorism, drug smuggling and human trafficking," the Venezuelan regime has been designated a foreign terrorist organisation.

"The illegal aliens and criminals that the Maduro regime has sent into the US during the weak and inept Biden administration are being returned to Venezuela at a rapid pace."