The United States will impose the "maximum sanctions" on Venezuela

BarcelonaVenezuela had an opportunity this Tuesday to make its voice heard by the international community during the UN Security Council meeting it had requested. But instead, the meeting in New York served as a platform for the United States to announce that it will impose "maximum sanctions" on the Nicolás Maduro regime. According to Washington's representative, Mike Waltz, the sanctions will deprive the Caracas government of resources to finance the Cartel of the Suns, as the Donald Trump administration accuses it of doing. "Maduro's ability to sell Venezuela's oil allows him to sustain his fraudulent claim to power and his narco-terrorism activities," he said. The US representative reiterated that Nicolás Maduro is a fugitive from American justice and that he consolidated his power thanks to "stolen" elections. "We will do everything in our power," he reiterated. The numerous calls for restraint from the other countries present were largely ignored. Even UN Secretary-General António Guterres offered to mediate with Washington in a phone call with Nicolás Maduro, according to the organization's Under-Secretary-General, Mohamed Khaled Khiari. Russia has also been outspoken in defending its Latin American ally. Moscow maintains that "the White House has decided to intervene in other sovereign states" and that the actions of US forces are a "clear act of aggression." Russia has questioned President Trump's intentions in the region, considering his "conduct of cowboy"It sends a message to other countries in the region that the White House only accepts their political decisions "if they are beneficial to them."

China has also denounced the actions of the United States as "infringing on the integrity and sovereignty of Venezuela," and as "a threat to the peace of the region." They are trying to prevent the escalation of the conflict.

Caracas has also had the opportunity to defend itself and accuse the US administration of committing "the biggest extortion in history" and "an unprecedented crime of aggression" that "annexes our country." Venezuelan Samuel Moncada recalled that the Trump administration demanded that Venezuela hand over "our lands, our oil, and our minerals," under the threat of carrying out "an armed attack." He maintains that Trump believes "the future of the hemisphere belongs to him." "If in 1945 the United States was a force for good, today it has transformed into a threat to multilateralism and international law," he said. "By what authority can the US administration requisition four million barrels? What they're interested in isn't freedom, it's oil."

But 3,000 kilometers to the south, in Caracas, there were no signs of de-escalation either. Moments before the Council meeting began, Venezuela's National Assembly approved a law punishing support for US "piracy" with 20 years in prison. The law aims to guarantee free trade and navigation in the face of what it considers a US blockade against sanctioned oil tankers, and to protect the economic activities of the state, but also of any entity doing business with the Venezuelan government. "Any person who promotes, instigates, solicits, invokes, favors, facilitates, supports, finances, or participates in acts of piracy, blockade, or other internationally unlawful acts against legal entities that conduct business with the Republic and its entities shall be imprisoned for 15 to 20 years," reads Article 13 of the law, as read by the Parliament's secretary.

The threats, however, don't seem to faze Trump, who continues to escalate his rhetoric against Maduro. The US leader stated on Monday that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro would be "smart" to step down: "If he plays hardball, it will be the last time," he threatened. He also lashed out at his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, warning him that "he'd better watch out."

Until now, the White House's stated objective regarding Venezuela was to curb drug trafficking and regain ground for US oil companies, but now, for the first time, Trump is openly discussing regime change. The statements have come amid heightened tensions with Caracas following Trump's order to to block the entry and exit from Venezuela of oil tankers sanctioned by the US government. Trump has said that the United States will keep the 1.9 million barrels of oil from the ship seized on December 10.