US Blockades Venezuelan Oil, Demands Humanitarian Access to Gaza
The Financial Times dutifully reports on former U.S. President Trump's order for a naval blockade against Venezuelan oil tankers, framed as enforcement of sanctions. This comes as the US vehemently protests a proposed humanitarian aid flotilla to Gaza, arguing it constitutes a 'breach of sovereignty' for a non-existent state. One might observe that the US government's concern for freedom of
navigation appears to be highly selective, activating only when it serves American geopolitical interests or punishes governments it disapproves of. The same maritime laws, apparently, bend differently for allies than for rivals. Perhaps the next State Department briefing will clarify which 'blockades' are legal and which are just, depending on who's doing the blockading.