U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he is considering a blockade or quarantine on Venezuela.

READ MORE: Trump wants Russian military out of Venezuela, says ‘all options’ open

Trump did not provide specifics of the blockade or when it may happen.

When asked by a reporter whether he is considering a blockade or quarantine of Venezuela given the amount of involvement China and Iran have in the country, Trump answered: “Yes, I am.”

Trump made the remarks while departing the White House for a campaign rally in Cincinnati.

The U.S. has sided with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim leader of the country and has called on President Nicolas Maduro to step down along with dozens of other countries.

On Thursday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross outlined plans to rebuild Venezuela’s financial institutions and infrastructure in a speech to Latin American business executives in Brasilia.

Venezuela has suffered blackouts and supply shortages, while massive protests have been held demanding Maduro step down. </s> U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was considering a quarantine or blockade of Venezuela, as the United States steps up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to relinquish power.

Trump did not elaborate on when or how such a blockade could be imposed, and his administration has so far focused on diplomatic and economic pressure against Maduro while steering clear of any military action.

Asked by a reporter whether he was considering such a measure, given the amount of involvement by China and Iran in Venezuela, Trump said: "Yes, I am." He gave no details.

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The United States and most Western countries recognize opposition politician Juan Guaido as the rightful leader of Venezuela.

Trump has slapped a series of escalating sanctions on Venezuela to pressure Maduro to step down and has previously declined to rule out military action. But U.S. officials have made clear that they are focused on economic and diplomatic measures and have shown no significant signs of taking up military options.

Washington's Latin American allies have also cautioned against U.S. military intervention.

Russia, China and Iran have expressed support for Maduro and Russia has dispatched small numbers of troops to the South American country. </s> CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday said he rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement about a possible blockade of the South American country, adding that its seas would remain “free and independent.”

Maduro said he had asked Venezuela’s ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, to denounce the “illegal” threat to the U.N. Security Council.

“All of Venezuela, in a civic-military union, repudiates and rejects the statements of Donald Trump about a supposed quarantine, of a supposed blockade,” Maduro said in a state television broadcast. “A blockade, why would he announce that? It is clearly illegal.”

The United States has applied sanctions and diplomatic pressure to try to get Maduro, whom it accuses of human rights violations and stealing the Venezuelan election last year, to step down.

On Thursday, when asked by a reporter whether he was considering such a measure given involvement by China and Iran in Venezuela, Trump said: “Yes, I am.” He gave no details.

On Friday, a senior U.S. official said Trump’s word on the issue should be taken “very seriously” but that the administration did not want to give away “the element of surprise.” </s> CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday said he rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement about a possible blockade of the South American country, adding that its seas would remain “free and independent.”

Maduro said he had asked Venezuela’s ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, to denounce the “illegal” threat to the U.N. Security Council.

“All of Venezuela, in a civic-military union, repudiates and rejects the statements of Donald Trump about a supposed quarantine, of a supposed blockade,” Maduro said in a state television broadcast. “A blockade, why would he announce that? It is clearly illegal.”

The United States has applied sanctions and diplomatic pressure to try to get Maduro, whom it accuses of human rights violations and stealing the Venezuelan election last year, to step down.

On Thursday, when asked by a reporter whether he was considering such a measure given involvement by China and Iran in Venezuela, Trump said: “Yes, I am.” He gave no details.

On Friday, a senior U.S. official said Trump’s word on the issue should be taken “very seriously” but that the administration did not want to give away “the element of surprise.” </s> WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - U.S. national security adviser John Bolton and U.S. Secretary Wilbur Ross will speak at a conference on Venezuela in Peru next week as part of a campaign to force President Nicolas Maduro to relinquish power, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.

The Tuesday meeting will be a strong show of support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido from the more than 50 countries that have recognized him as the rightful president of Venezuela, said the official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.

Peru had proposed the meeting as a way to build support for early elections in Venezuela, and wanted Maduro's allies such as Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia and Turkey to take part.

But none of those countries are expected to attend, the U.S. official said.

Washington considers Maduro a dictator who stole last year's election and has slapped a series of escalating sanctions on Venezuela to pressure him to step down. Maduro has refused and vows to resist what he describes as U.S. imperialism.

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was considering a blockade of Venezuela. His administration has so far focused on diplomatic and economic pressure against Maduro while steering clear of any military action.

Asked about Trump's comments on Thursday, the senior administration official declined to give details.

"I would take the president at his word and I would take his word very seriously," the official said, noting the administration did not want to give away "the element of surprise."

The official said Trump's warning should have the effect of pushing Maduro to take ongoing talks with the opposition in Barbados more seriously. "He has a short window to find an exit strategy," the official said.

Norway, which is mediating the Barbados talks, said on Friday that Maduro's government and the opposition have reiterated their willingness to continue negotiating to find a solution.

Asked whether the White House would consider protecting Venezuelans in the United States from deportation - a measure known as "temporary protected status" - the official said the administration was committed to ensuring no Venezuelan at risk of persecution would be deported, regardless of whether the TPS program is used. </s> Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Friday, cited by Reuters, he rejected Trump's claims about a possible blockade of Caracas, adding that its seas would remain "free and independent", Maduro also said he had requested Venezuela's Envoy to the UN to denounce Trump's "illegal" blockade threat at the UN Security Council.

Venezuela has experienced a political and economic crisis that intensified in January when US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself to be the country’s interim president after disputing the re-election of incumbent President Nicolas Maduro.

The United States and 54 other countries have recognized Guaido, but Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia, Turkey, and numerous other countries have said they recognize constitutionally-elected Maduro as the only legitimate president of Venezuela.

Maduro has said Guaido is a US puppet and accused the United States of orchestrating a coup to force a change of government in Venezuela and claim the country’s resources. </s> WASHINGTON, Aug 5 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump imposed a freeze on all Venezuelan government assets in the United States on Monday, sharply escalating an economic and diplomatic pressure campaign aimed at removing socialist President Nicolas Maduro from power.

The executive order signed by Trump goes well beyond the sanctions imposed in recent months against Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA and the country’s financial sector, as well as measures against dozens of Venezuelan officials and entities.

President Donald Trump is taking more dramatic action after numerous rounds of sanctions failed to turn Venezuela’s military against President Nicolas Maduro, above, or make significant progress in dislodging him.

Trump’s action, the toughest yet against Maduro, not only bans U.S. companies from dealings with the Venezuela government but also appears to open the door to possible sanctions against foreign firms or individuals that assist it.

“All property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela that are in the United States ... are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in,” according to the executive order released by the White House.

The scope of the announcement came as a surprise even to some Trump administration allies. “This is big,” said Ana Quintana, senior policy analyst with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think tank.

Quintana said it appeared the order would be a sweeping embargo on doing business with Venezuela, although she was awaiting further details.

The United States and most Western nations have called for Maduro to step down and have recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s legitimate president.

Trump said on Thursday he was considering a quarantine or blockade of Venezuela, although he did not elaborate at the time on when or how such a blockade would be imposed.

U.S. officials have long said they had other weapons in their economic arsenal, even as they privately expressed frustration that European partners and others had not taken stronger steps and that the months-long pressure campaign had not made more headway.

Trump said in a letter to Congress the freezing of assets was necessary “in light of the continued usurpation of power by the illegitimate Nicolas Maduro regime, as well as the regime’s human rights abuses, arbitrary arrest and detention of Venezuelan citizens, curtailment of free press, and ongoing attempts to undermine Interim President Juan Guaido.”

His executive order also threatened sanctions against anyone assisting Maduro or his loyalists, suggesting that Washington could resort to so-called secondary sanctions against third-country companies and individuals.

Fernando Cutz, a former top Trump adviser on Latin America, said the executive order could be applied to non-U.S. firms and entities, limiting their ability to do business with Venezuela if they wanted to continue to deal with U.S. companies or banks.

China and Russia continue to trade oil with Venezuela. The move could escalate tensions with China, already inflamed by a tit-for-tat trade war, said Cutz, now a senior associate with the Cohen Group, a consulting firm.

China and Russia - together with Cuba - have continued to back Maduro, prompting U.S. national security adviser John Bolton to warn Beijing and Moscow on Monday against doubling down in their support for him.

Bolton is slated to give a speech on Tuesday morning at a gathering of more than 50 countries in Lima, Peru, that would outline a planned U.S. initiative to lead to a peaceful transfer of power in Venezuela. </s> MIAMI — President Donald Trump on Monday pleaded with Venezuela’s military to support opposition leader Juan Guaido and issued a dire warning if they continue to stand with President Nicolas Maduro’s government.

“You will find no safe harbor, no easy exit and no way out. You will lose everything,” Trump said in a speech at Florida International University in Miami before large American and Venezuelan flags.

Trump added: “We seek a peaceful transition of power, but all options are open.”

The Venezuelan military could play a decisive role in the stalemate but has largely remained loyal to Maduro.

In remarks broadcast on state television, Maduro accused the U.S. president of speaking in an “almost Nazi style” and lashed out at Trump for thinking he can deliver orders to Venezuela’s military.

“Who is the commander of the armed forces, Donald Trump from Miami?” Maduro said. “They think they’re the owners of the country.”

Trump said “a new day is coming in Latin America,” as he sought to rally support among the largest Venezuelan community in the U.S. for Guaido. The U.S. recognizes him as the country’s rightful president and condemns Maduro’s government and its socialist policies.

As the monthslong political crisis stretched on, the military has blocked the U.S. from moving tons of humanitarian aid airlifted in recent days to the Colombian border with Venezuela. The aid shipments have been meant in part to dramatize the hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicine that are gripping Venezuela. Trump said of Maduro, “He would rather see his people starve than give them aid.”

Critics say Maduro’s re-election last year was fraudulent, making his second term illegal.

Venezuela’s power struggle is headed to a potentially violent showdown Saturday, when Guaido will try to run caravans of U.S. humanitarian aid across the Venezuelan border from Colombia. Maduro denies a humanitarian crisis exists, blaming the Trump administration for mounting a coup against him.

More than 2 million Venezuelans have fled the country in the last two years, most flooding across the border into Colombia, Brazil and Peru. Those left behind struggle to afford scarce supplies of food and medicine as inflation soars.

Maduro maintains support from Russia, China and Turkey, while Guaido has won recognition from dozens of world leaders in Latin America and Europe, who are demanding that Maduro holds new elections or steps down.

So far, Maduro isn’t budging. In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Maduro said Venezuela is ready to make an economic rebound once Trump removes his “infected hand” from the country that sits atop the world’s largest petroleum reserves.

Trump urged the Venezuelan military to accept Guaido’s offer of amnesty and refrain from violence against those opposing Maduro’s government. And he praised the Venezuelan opposition, saying of the people of Venezuela, “They are turning the page on dictatorship and there will be no going back.”

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said earlier Monday that the U.S. “knows where military officials and their families have money hidden throughout the world.”

South Florida is home to more than 100,000 Venezuelans and Venezuelan-Americans, the largest concentration in the country. Speaking in the presidential battleground state, Trump also sought to draw a contrast with the policies of progressive Democrats, which he brands as “socialist,” as he gears up for re-election.

Trump said that “socialism has so completely ravaged” Venezuela “that even the world’s largest reserves of oil are not enough to keep the lights on.” He added: “This will never happen to us.”

“Socialism promises prosperity, but it delivers poverty,” he said.

Trump was introduced by first lady Melania Trump and joined by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, who have all been outspoken in their criticism of Maduro’s government. Trump also spoke of the socialist governments in Cuba and Nicaragua, which have large expatriate communities in the Miami area.

“Socialism is dying and liberty, prosperity and democracy are being reborn” throughout the hemisphere, Trump said, expressing hope that soon, “This will become the first free hemisphere in all of human history.”

In Cuba, the foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez, tweeted that he considered “offensive” Trump’s speech and that it “confirms the threat of military aggression against Venezuela.” He added, “Humanitarian aid is a pretext for a war.”

Shortly after Trump ended his speech, he tweeted, “I ask every member of the Maduro regime: End this nightmare of poverty, hunger and death. LET YOUR PEOPLE GO. Set your country free! Now is the time for all Venezuelan Patriots to act together, as one united people. Nothing could be better for the future of Venezuela!”

Guaido addressed the crowd in a pre-recorded video released by the White House and thanked Trump and the state of Florida for their support.

“Now there is a debate between the democracy and dictatorship — one between life and death,” Guaido said in Spanish. “Today this fight is existential.”

Trump said the U.S. is “profoundly grateful” to dissidents and exiles who have protested and raised alarms about the actions of the Maduro government. But his administration has also come under criticism for not doing enough to grant asylum to those fleeing the country.

“President Trump is two-faced on the Venezuela issue,” said Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo. “He talks about fighting the Maduro regime, but his administration keeps deporting and detaining Venezuelans fleeing repression from the Maduro regime.”

Trump had been spending the holiday weekend at his private club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Associated Press writer Scott Smith in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report. </s> The U.S. has announced new sanctions against Venezuela as critical humanitarian aid is blocked from getting into the country.

On Monday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the sanctions are targeting four Venezuelan governors. The officials are assisting the Maduro regime with the blockade, which is causing the people of Venezuela to suffer. Mnuchin claimed the governors are involved in “endemic corruption,” and said their actions are shameful.

Earlier this month, the U.S. sanctioned a top oil executive and several Venezuelan intelligence officials for alleged human rights violations. Mnuchin said the officials are responsible for corruption as well as suppressing Venezuela’s democracy.

Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence met with Venezuelan interim President Juan Guiado and Colombian President Ivan Duque in Colombia Monday after a weekend of violence at the border between the two countries.

The vice president thanked Duque for convening a gathering of Latin American countries at a “critical time for freedom in Venezuela.” He said he was sent by the president to stand with America’s friends and allies in the embattled country, and told Guaido the president is with him “100-percent.”

Pence is scheduled to meet with Venezuelan migrant families in Colombia before returning to Washington, D.C.
U.S President Donald Trump says that he is considering a blockade of Venezuela as the U.S increases pressure on President Maduro to step down.