Bûyerên

Trump formally nominates Lt. Gen. Donovan, currently the Vice Commander of SOCOM, to lead U.S. Southern Command. Reuters first reported this last week

Today, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned several family members and associates of the Maduro-Flores family. This action further targets the narco-corruption structure that sustains Nicolás Maduro’s illegitimate regime, namely the familial networks of Carlos Erik Malpica Flores and Ramon Carretero Napolitano.

Four officials (two military and two police officers) were killed in Santa Cruz de Aragua, after an ambush

Marco Rubio: Em ji zêdebûna aloziyên bi Rûsyayê re derbarê Venezuelayê de nîgeran in. Me her tim ji wan hêvî dikir ku piştgiriya retorîkî bidin Maduro. Destê wan li Ukraynayê pir zêde ye.

Asked if the US wants regime change in Venezuela, @SecRubio says, "Our goal is regional stability in the national interest of the US. Do we consider Maduro legitimate? - No

Trump said he is not ruling out war with Venezuela, telling NBC News, “I don’t rule it out.”

Panama's president announces that a direct flight to Caracas carrying Venezuelan migrants will take place next Monday.

Chevron proceeds with crude oil shipments from Venezuela despite tensions with the U.S., according to Bloomberg

Chinese Foreign Ministry: We support Venezuela's request for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council

Maduro speaks by phone with the UN chief after escalating US threats and blockade announced by Trump

Trump: Drugs brought in by ocean and by sea are now down 94%

Venezuelan President Maduro is calling for a "perfect union" with the Colombian military in defense of his country's sovereignty, a move that comes amid the US deployment in Caribbean waters under the pretext of combating drug trafficking. Maduro denounces a "warmongering and colonialist agenda" by the country governed by Donald Trump, who ordered a total blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers. Despite this, the Chavista leader stated that "trade back and forth" of Venezuelan oil will continue.

Venezuela on Wednesday requested that the United Nations Security Council meet to discuss "ongoing U.S. aggression" against the country, according to a letter to the 15-member body seen by Reuters. A U.N. diplomat said a meeting would likely be scheduled for Tuesday

.@POTUS on the Naval blockade on Venezuela: "We're not gonna let anybody going through that shouldn't be going through. They took all of our energy rights—they took all of our oil from not that long ago. they illegally took it

Trump on Venezuela: We want it back. They took our oil rights. We had a lot of oil there. As you know. They threw our companies out and we want it back

Trump: Venezuela took our oil and we want it back after they expelled our companies.

US military aircraft maintain patrols off the Venezuelan coast for the second consecutive day

Trinidad and Tobago asserts that it is not involved in the US blockade of Venezuela.

Following Trump's threat of a total embargo on sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, Venezuela sent naval escorts to protect ships leaving its ports. The United States is aware of the escorts and is considering options, but has not said what it will do next. Maduro maintains that exports will continue "at any price."

Supreme Court of Justice condemns Trump's blockade announcement as an "attack on sovereignty".

Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, says oil exports are continuing as normal following US President Trump's announcement of a blockade on Venezuelan tankers.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López affirms that the Venezuelan Armed Forces will preserve the country's territorial integrity "at all costs".

A spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry announced that the country's government attaches importance to preventing the escalation of the crisis in Venezuela and the region.

Venezuelan President Maduro proposed organizing protest actions against US "piracy" in various ports around the world.

The United States is imposing a blockade on sanctioned and threatened tankers bound for or leaving Venezuela - @realDonaldTrump

Caribbean Sea: Several @USNavy assets up; with 5x F/A-18s and an E-2 showing

White House: President Donald J. Trump's address to the Nation tomorrow night at 9 pm EST

Maduro government breaks gas agreements with Trinidad. The Maduro government announced the immediate cancellation of any agreement to supply natural gas to Trinidad and Tobago, amid tensions over the US military deployment in the Caribbean. The announcement was made by Delcy Rodríguez, the government's vice president, after accusing Trinidad and Tobago of involvement in the alleged theft of Venezuelan oil, following the seizure of a PDVSA crude oil tanker sailing under a false flag.

Trinidad and Tobago authorizes US military flights over its territory and Air Force aircraft to use its airports

US President Donald Trump has again warned that ground attacks "are going to start very soon" and will not be limited to Venezuela, in the context of the military deployment in international waters of the Caribbean near that country. He mentioned Colombia and said he is "not happy" with the production and shipment of drugs to the United States. He claims there are "at least three cocaine labs" in the country. "Does anyone want to go fishing in that area" he joked, insisting on the success and legitimacy of the operation with which, according to him, "they have been eliminating 96% of drug shipments by sea."