2 d. ago Trump prevails in US Senate showdown over Venezuela war powers

US President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign to unify his party behind his takeover of Venezuela succeeded Wednesday when all but three Senate Republicans voted to block a resolution opposing further military action in the country. US Vice-President J.D. Vance broke a tie vote in order to stop the resolution. The 51-50 vote followed fiery phone calls from Trump to Republican defectors who last week voted to advance the resolution. Trump’s success in flipping votes effectively ends one of the...

Politics

5 d. ago Mexican president tells Trump that US intervention against drug cartels is ‘unnecessary’

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had “a very good conversation” with US President Donald Trump on Monday and that their two governments will continue working together on security issues without the need for US intervention against drug cartels. The roughly 15-minute call came after Sheinbaum said on Friday she had requested dialogue with the Trump administration at the end of a week in which he had said he was ready to confront drug cartels on the ground and repeated the accusation...

Politics

5 d. ago Mexico’s Sheinbaum tells Trump US military intervention against cartels ‘unnecessary’

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had “a very good conversation” with US President Donald Trump on Monday and that their two governments will continue working together on security issues without the need for US intervention against drug cartels. The roughly 15-minute call came after Sheinbaum said on Friday she had requested dialogue with the Trump administration at the end of a week in which he had said he was ready to confront drug cartels on the ground and repeated the accusation...

Events

6 d. ago Cuba defiant after Trump says island to receive no more Venezuelan oil or money

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said no more Venezuelan oil or money will go to Cuba and suggested the Communist-run island should strike a deal with Washington, ramping up pressure on the long-time US nemesis. Venezuela is Cuba’s biggest oil supplier, but no cargoes have departed from Venezuelan ports to the Caribbean country since the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US forces in early January amid a strict US oil blockade on the Opec country, shipping data shows. “THERE...

Politics

1 week ago US won’t rule out pressuring Venezuela to curb China, Russia ties

The White House on Wednesday stopped short of denying reports that the United States has urged Venezuela to cut ties with adversaries such as China, Russia and Iran, instead emphasising Washington’s determination to maintain “American dominance” in the western hemisphere. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt cited frequent leaks coming out of classified briefings and stated she would “not confirm or deny or get into what the Secretary has said in classified settings to members of Congress.” However,...

Events

1 week ago Breaking | US won’t rule out pressuring Venezuela to curb China, Russia ties

Breaking | US won’t rule out pressuring Venezuela to curb China, Russia ties  South China Morning Post

Events

1 week ago China's Exporters See Drop in Shipments to Venezuela Amid US Pressure

China's Exporters See Drop in Shipments to Venezuela Amid US Pressure  Yicai Global

Events

1 week ago U.S. Pressures Venezuela to Expel Official Advisers From China, Cuba, Iran and Russia, Officials Say

U.S. Pressures Venezuela to Expel Official Advisers From China, Cuba, Iran and Russia, Officials Say  The New York Times

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong firm sanctioned by US in Venezuela crackdown found to use bogus address

A Hong Kong-based company sanctioned by the United States for alleged links to Venezuelan oil exports registered a fictitious address in the city, the Post has found, leaving a namesake eyewear firm anxious about repercussions. The Trump administration stepped up its pressure campaign against Venezuela’s oil exports earlier this week by sanctioning four companies based in Hong Kong and mainland China, accusing them of ties to the Venezuelan oil sector and evading restrictions. The US Department...

Politics

2 w. ago US sanctions Chinese companies and tankers with Venezuela links

The Trump administration stepped up a pressure campaign against Venezuela’s oil exports by sanctioning companies based in Hong Kong and mainland China, along with related oil tankers it accused of evading restrictions. The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on Wednesday added four companies with links to Venezuela’s oil industry – Zhejiang-based Corniola and Hong Kong-based Aries Global Investment, Krape Myrtle Co and Winky International – to its specially designated...

Events

2 w. ago CIA behind drone strike on drug boat loading facility in Venezuela: sources

The CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels, according to two people familiar with details of the operation who requested anonymity to discuss the classified matter. The first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes in September marked a significant escalation in the administration’s months-long pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government. The strike has not been...

Events

2 w. ago CIA behind drone strike on ‘big facility’ in Venezuela: sources

The CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels, according to two people familiar with details of the operation who requested anonymity to discuss the classified matter. The first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes in September marked a significant escalation in the administration’s months-long pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government. The strike has not been...

Events

2 w. ago Trump hints at land strike against drug cartels as Venezuela pressure mounts

A throwaway remark last week by US President Donald Trump has raised questions about whether US forces may have carried out their first land strike against drug cartels in Venezuela. Trump said the US knocked out a “big facility” for producing trafficking boats, as he was discussing his pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an interview broadcast on Friday. “They have a big plant or a big facility where they send, you know, where the ships come from,” Trump said in an...

Events

2 w. ago Trump says US ‘hit’ drug boat loading facility in Venezuela pressure campaign

US President Donald Trump has indicated that the US has “hit” a dock facility along a shore as he wages a pressure campaign on Venezuela, but the US offered few details. Trump initially seemed to confirm a strike in what appeared to be an impromptu radio interview Friday, and when questioned Monday by reporters about “an explosion in Venezuela”, he said the US struck a facility where boats accused of carrying drugs “load up”. “There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the...

Events

3 w. ago Russia and China Strongly Condemn U.S. Pressure Against Venezuela at the U.N. Security Council

Russia and China Strongly Condemn U.S. Pressure Against Venezuela at the U.N. Security Council  Democracy Now!

Events

3 w. ago China, Russia clash with US at UN, scientists on ‘benefits of lard’: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China, Russia clash with US at UN over Venezuela oil seizures and naval pressure China accused the United States at the United Nations of violating international law and destabilising the Caribbean region, as Washington defended its seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers and vowed to intensify pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government. 2. Beijing is...

Politics

3 w. ago China, Russia clash with US at UN meeting over Venezuela oil seizures and naval pressure

China accused the United States at the United Nations on Tuesday of violating international law and destabilising the Caribbean region, as Washington defended its seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers and vowed to intensify pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government. Speaking at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council requested by Venezuela and backed by China and Russia, Beijing said US actions carried out under the banner of counter-narcotics enforcement amounted to unilateral...

Events

3 w. ago China, Russia clash with US at UN over Venezuela oil seizures and naval pressure

China, Russia clash with US at UN over Venezuela oil seizures and naval pressure  South China Morning Post

Events

3 w. ago China says US broke international law by seizing Venezuelan oil tankers

China accused the United States on Monday of violating international law by seizing oil tankers off Venezuela, as Washington intensified pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government and a senior US official openly suggested that he should be removed from power. At a regular press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the United States “seriously violated international law” by intercepting foreign vessels and reiterated China’s opposition to unilateral...

Society

3 w. ago China says US broke international law by seizing oil tankers off Venezuela

China accused the United States on Monday of violating international law by seizing oil tankers off Venezuela, as Washington intensified pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government and a senior US official openly suggested that he should be removed from power. At a regular press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the United States “seriously violated international law” by intercepting foreign vessels and reiterated China’s opposition to unilateral...

Society