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> 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> 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> 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> 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.

In his presentation, Ross will give attendees details on a post-Maduro reconstruction plan for Venezuela. "We plan to attend and have a big presence," the official said.

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> The United States Treasury Department has imposed fresh sanctions on Venezuelan officials amid the political and economic crisis in the country. The list this time includes four individuals.

US Vice President Mike Pence is currently attending talks of the regional Lima Group states in Bogota. He is expected to declare the next US steps against Maduro and his government.

The new punitive measures were issued just hours after Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza blamed the current political and economic problems that Caracas is facing on the US financial blockade and warfare.

READ MORE: Caracas Accuses US of Economic Blockade, Warfare Against Venezuela

Prior to that, Guaido declared himself the country's "interim president" and the United States immediately recognized him as such. About 50 other countries has followed their example, while Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia and a number of other states have voiced their support the legitimate government of Maduro.

Maduro qualified Guaido's move as an attempt to stage a coup. In one of his latest statements, Maduro stressed that he was not going to back down, saying that he "is governing Venezuela and will continue governing it".

READ MORE: US Attempt to Deliver Aid to Venezuela 'Timed to Try to Pressure Maduro' — Prof.

In the meantime, the situation in the country is very explosive amid clashes between police and protesters on Venezuela's borders with Colombia and Brazil, which prompted Caracas to announce they would close the border with Brazil and three bridges connecting Colombia and Venezuela, as well as shut the border with neighbouring island nations and suspend air traffic. </s> Venezuela's foreign minister on Wednesday called for direct talks between President Nicolas Maduro and Donald Trump to address the country's crisis -- a proposal swiftly rejected by the White House, which recognizes the opposition.

The call from Venezuela's top diplomat Jorge Arreaza came in an address to the United Nations Human Rights Council that was boycotted by multiple diplomats including from Latin America and Europe.

"We are proposing the path of dialogue, even with the United States... Why shouldn't they meet, President Trump and President Maduro?" Arreaza said.

The United States does not sit on the rights council following Trump's decision to quit the body last year.

But the American envoy to the U.N.'s Conference on Disarmament (CoD) Robert Wood walked out of the chamber as another Venezuelan diplomat, Felix Plasencia, took the podium.

Wood, asked about the prospects of a Trump-Maduro summit, told reporters: "President Trump is prepared to meet with the rightful president of Venezuela and that is Juan Guaido."

Vice President Mike Pence said the United States only recognizes Guaido -- whom he met earlier this week in Colombia in a show of support.

"The only thing to discuss with Maduro at this point is the time and date for his departure," Pence tweeted.

"For democracy to return and for Venezuela to rebuild -- Maduro must go," he wrote.

Guaido declared himself acting president on Jan. 23 until new elections were held, and was recognized by Australia, Canada, Columbia, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Panama, Argentina, Costa Rica and the U.S. The European Parliament took a step in the same direction.

Turkey, Russia, Iran, Cuba, China, and Bolivia reiterate support for Maduro, who vowed to cut all diplomatic and political ties with the U.S.

Arreaza denounced what he described as a campaign of "aggression" being perpetrated by the United States against Venezuela, including an international assault on the government's foreign assets.

He said Washington's actions were depriving ordinary Venezuelans of food and medicine, and called on the rights council to "raise its voice" against the American "blockade."

The US has ramped up the pressure on the Maduro regime with sanctions against top officials, and the promise to exempt those who recognize Guaido as their true leader.

An estimated 2.7 million people have fled Venezuela since a devastating political and economic crisis engulfed the country in 2015, according to the U.N.
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.