US blacklists 15 aircraft in latest venezuela sanctions move – Treasury website

The US has blacklisted 15 aircraft in the latest Venezuela sanctions move. Castin minds back, Mr Maduro and Mr Guaidó have been at loggerheads for more than a year, after Mr Guaidó - who heads the National Assembly - declared himself interim president, claiming Mr Maduro's re-election in 2018 was fraudulent.

The US stepped on 28 January, during the 2019 Venezuelan presidential crisis, and imposed sanctions on the Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural gas company PDVSA to pressure Maduro to resign. Despite international pressure and US sanctions on the crucial oil sector, Maduro has remained in power and has been supported by Russia, Cuba and a handful of other countries as well as the Venezuelan military.

In earlier news today, in efforts to remove President Nicolás Maduro from office, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US will take additional measures in support of Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaidó. Mr Pompeo also called on other countries to co-operate – Guaidó travelled to Colombia to meet Mr Pompeo on the sidelines of a regional conference.

Market implications

Keeping an eye on the price of oil as tensions mount – "I would fully expect there will be further action that the United States would take to continue to support President Guaidó and the Venezuelan people," Mr Pompeo told journalists today.