IANS | 13 Apr, 2019
The US has announced sanctions against four oil companies and nine of their vessels to step up pressure on Venezuela and Cuba.
The
US Department of the Treasury on Friday "designated four companies that
operate in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy" and "identified
nine vessels, some of which transported oil from Venezuela to Cuba, as
blocked property owned by the four companies".
As a result of the
sanctions, all property and interests of these targeted entities that
are in the US would be blocked. Also, American people are generally
prohibited from all dealings that involve any property of these
entities, Xinhua news agency reported.
The US has been pursuing a
policy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation against the
Venezuelan government in support of the opposition leader Juan Guaido.
The
Donald Trump administration recognized Guaido as Venezuela's "interim
President" on January 23, days after incumbent President Nicholas Maduro
was inaugurated for a second term.
In response, Maduro severed
"diplomatic and political" ties with the US and accused Washington of
trying to orchestrate a coup in Venezuela in order to install a puppet
regime and claim its resources.