White House orders U.S. military to focus on ‘quarantine’ of Venezuelan oil

The White House has ordered the U.S. military to focus on enforcing a “quarantine” of Venezuelan oil for at least the next two months, Reuters reported, citing a source.

According to an unnamed U.S. official, the move signals that President Donald Trump’s administration is prioritising economic pressure over direct military action against Caracas.

The source said the measures are placing enormous pressure on the government of President Nicolas Maduro and warned that Venezuela could face an economic collapse by the end of January unless it makes concessions.

The term “quarantine,” used by a White House official, echoes language from the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when President John F. Kennedy’s administration sought to avoid formally declaring war, Reuters noted.

In December, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted two tankers carrying Venezuelan oil and is preparing to seize a third vessel. The Trump administration accuses Caracas of drug trafficking and of using oil revenues to support what it calls an “illegal regime”.