Overview
- The Treasury named Aries Global Investment Ltd, Corniola Limited, Krape Myrtle Co Ltd and Winky International Limited, and designated the tankers Della, Valiant, Nord Star and Rosalind as blocked property.
- Inclusion on the U.S. sanctions list freezes any assets under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits American persons and companies from doing business with the listed entities.
- The latest step follows President Donald Trump’s designation of Venezuela’s government as a foreign terrorist organization and his order to block sanctioned oil tankers to and from the country.
- Francisco Gonzalez of the Institute of Regional Integration said the tanker blockade is designed to crush Venezuela’s economy and described the U.S. actions as an act of war.
- U.S. officials frame heightened military activity in the Caribbean as counter-narcotics operations, and media reports have cited recent strikes near Venezuela, including a CNN report attributing a drone strike to the CIA.