US 'Blockade' of Venezuela: For Their Own Good, Obviously
The US military, fresh from intercepting a second merchant vessel off Venezuela, is enforcing a 'blockade' of sanctioned oil tankers – a move, The Guardian notes, that suspiciously aligns with former President Trump's pronouncements. This isn't 'international waters' enforcement; it's classic gunboat diplomacy, perfected in the Caribbean and Central America for over a century. From the United
Fruit Company's interests in Guatemala to regime change in Chile, 'national security' has always worn a convenient disguise, especially when oil reserves are in play. One might wonder if any of these 'sanctioned' nations are simply trying to self-determine their economic policies, much like the US would rage against any foreign interference in its own trade. How many global 'blockades' would be
tolerated if they targeted nations with actual, rather than perceived, WMDs or human rights abuses, say, those enjoying billions in US military aid? Apparently, freedom of navigation is a conditional benefit, applied selectively to those who align with Washington's preferred energy partners.