Washington, Dec. 17 -- President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a "total and complete blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, intensifying pressure on Nicolas Maduro's regime and highlighting a potential economic dimension to the US military campaign.
Trump said Venezuela is now encircled by what he described as the largest armada ever assembled, aimed at targeting the country's primary source of revenue.
Punctuating the words "total and complete blockade" in capital letters in a Truth Social post, Trump pointed to the large collection of US military assets in the region, suggested that more could be deployed, and directly targeted Maduro's regime. He also suggested that Venezuela give up land, oil, and ass...