The American pressure campaign against Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro has escalated sharply in recent days. In addition to bombing alleged drug-smuggling boats, the United States is now seizing—or attempting to seize—massive oil tankers as part of a “blockade” that Donald Trump announced via social media two weeks ago. (As I type, there is an odd, low-speed maritime chase in the pacific between the American Coast Guard and an oil tanker that refuses to surrender!)
What is going on here? What is the Trump administration’s endgame? Will they soon attack Venezuela itself? And why does it seem like they are improvising as they go? Joining me to discuss these questions and more is James “Boz” Bosworth, who runs the Latin America Risk Report here on Substack. We kick off discussing three recent incidents involving American attempts to enforce a blockade before having a longer conversation about the Trump administration’s evolving pressure tactics and where this all may lead.
Our conversation is freely available to all— Happy Holidays!
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