U.S. To Blockade Venezuela?

Asked About China & Iran In Venezuela, Trump Signals US "Blockade" Coming

How much more US "pressure" can be brought to bear on Venezuela after Washington early this year went so far as to back a failed military coup attempt? Perhaps the Syria treatment: after covert war comes the long "blockade" and economic squeeze precipitating total societal collapse. Perhaps this is what the White House now has in mind after mainstream media attention on Venezuela and its 'alt-president' Juan Guaido has dropped off a cliff, via Reuters: 

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was considering a quarantine or blockade of Venezuela, as the United States steps up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to relinquish power.

Is this in addition to the near total oil blockade on state-owned PDVSA? No details were given in the Thursday statement in terms of what such a "quarantine" or "blockade" would look like. 

However, an interesting reference to powerful external backers of the Maduro government was made, bringing up the possibility of a "proxy war" situation developing, as we've discussed previously. Reuters continued: 

Asked by a reporter whether he was considering such a measure, given the amount of involvement by China and Iran in Venezuela, Trump said: “Yes, I am.” He gave no details.

And there it is. While confirmation has remained murky, over the past months there's been widespread reports of Chinese and Russian military advisers working with the Venezuelan national forces. 

A month ago Pompeo told Fox Business, “People don’t recognize that Hezbollah has active cells” in the country. “The Iranians are impacting the people of Venezuela and throughout South America. We have an obligation to take down that risk for America,” he said. 

Trump considering 'blockade' or ‘quarantine’ of Venezuela

Trump made the off-hand remark, which may mean tons of additional hardship for the people of crisis-hit Venezuela, after he was asked by a reporter at the White House lawn if he has been considering a blockade or a quarantine of the Latin American country, “given the amount of foreign involvement from Russia, China, and Iran.”

‘Yes, I am,” the US president responded, without elaborating. The curt response prompted the journalist to ask again, only for Trump to triple down: “Yes, I am. Yes. Yes, I am."

It was the first time Trump broached the subject of an actual blockade of Venezuela. Since recognizing self-proclaimed ‘interim president’ Juan Guaido in January, Washington has unleashed a crackdown on Venezuela’s state-owned oil industry, banking sector and individual officials, while pressuring third countries such as Cuba, who had chosen to stand by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, into withdrawing their support

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last month called on “every foreign power” to leave Venezuela, so the Venezuelan people can “take back” the country and rebuild it in a way acceptable for the US. By “foreign powers,” Pompeo meant Russia, China, Iran and Cuba, which do not recognize Guaido's Washington-invested authority.

Washington has been openly pushing for regime change in Venezuela, but so far Guaido has not prevailed, with a botched coup attempt on April 30 showing a lack of support for him among the military.