In a major escalation of its hostilities against the people of Venezuela and the government of Nicolás Maduro, U.S. president Donald Trump announced on December 16 “a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers” going in and out of that country. This is an act of war, aimed not only at Venezuela but Cuba, and a warning to all governments in Latin America and the Caribbean that dare stand up to the Yankee bully. Coming on the heels of killing at least 95 people in small boats off the Venezuelan and Colombian coasts on the pretext of fighting drug trafficking — nothing but murder at sea — and the seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker, the blockade of Venezuelan oil brings the region a step closer to war.