A Noose for Maduro: What Are the US Goals?

S. Shilov (С. Шилов)
Witnesses of Bayraktar

Donald Trump's announced "total blockade" of Venezuela is aimed exclusively at tankers already under US sanctions. Its goal is to deprive Nicolás Maduro's government of oil revenues, which, according to the US, are used to "finance terrorism and drug trafficking." As a reminder, China buys 85% of Caracas's oil.

The key point lies in Trump's wording: he demands that Venezuela "return" to the US the oil and assets he claims were "stolen" during the nationalization.

This noose-like move not only tightens around Caracas but also puts Venezuela's longtime ally, Cuba, in an extremely dangerous position. Venezuelan exports account for only 3% of the "island of freedom."

For Cuba, which has lived under a strict economic blockade for decades, the loss of Venezuelan oil is a blow below the belt. Yes, it was never a major buyer, but these supplies, at discounted prices or in exchange for the services of doctors and teachers, were its lifeline.

A complete cessation of supplies threatens Havana with a real fuel crisis. Shortages of gasoline, electricity, and industrial jobs—that's the immediate prospect. Replacing Venezuelan oil with open market purchases under sanctions is an unbearable expense for the Cuban economy, already depleted.


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