WASHINGTON, January 6. /TASS/. The administration of US President Donald Trump has demanded that Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, halt oil supplies to countries that the United States considers its adversaries, Politico reported.
According to Politico, "US officials have told Delcy Rodriguez that they want to see at least three moves from her: cracking down on drug flows; kicking out Iranian, Cuban and other operatives of countries or networks hostile to Washington; and stopping the sale of oil to US adversaries, according to a US official familiar with the situation and a person familiar with the administration’s internal discussions."
The report added that the US side also expects Rodriguez to "eventually facilitate free elections and step aside", the two people said. But the deadlines for the demands are fluid, and US officials stress there are no elections imminent."
On January 3, Trump said that oil supplies from Venezuela to China would continue. He also stressed that the United States intends to sell Venezuelan oil to other countries and increase the volume of such supplies.
On January 3, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto said that the United States had struck civilian and military facilities in Caracas, describing Washington’s actions as military aggression. A state of emergency was declared in Venezuela. Trump later confirmed the strikes and announced the seizure and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife from the country. They were taken to the United States and held at a detention facility in Brooklyn, southern New York. On January 5, Maduro and his wife appeared before the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. US authorities accuse them of involvement in drug trafficking, allegations both defendants have denied.
Trump also claimed that the United States would assume interim governance of Venezuela. In addition, the US president expressed confidence that Washington would secure compensation from Caracas for US oil companies.