WASHINGTON/RIO DE JANEIRO/UNITED NATIONS - The US Department of Treasury on Thursday announced new sanctions on three nephews of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's wife, a Maduro-affiliated businessman, and six companies shipping oil from Venezuela.
"Nicolas Maduro and his criminal associates in Venezuela are flooding the United States with drugs that are poisoning the American people," said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a statement.
The move came one day after the Pentagon seized an oil tanker near the coast of Venezuela amid the White House's months-long pressure campaign targeting Maduro whom the Trump administration accused of leading a narco-trafficking terrorist organization.
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Lula slams Trump's 'unilateralism'
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday criticized US President Donald Trump for advocating a "law of the strongest" in international politics after a recent phone call between the two leaders on regional tensions.
"The unilateralism that President Trump wants is one in which the strongest dictates what others must do," Lula said during an event in Minas Gerais state.
Lula said he emphasized in the phone call the necessity to preserve the Americas as a conflict-free region, but Trump insisted on highlighting US military might.
The conversation was part of Brazil's effort to act as an intermediary amid rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela, as well as other Latin American countries.
"We are going to try to use words as an instrument of persuasion to do things right. Diplomatically, words are the strongest tool we have to resolve problems," Lula added.
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UN concerned over tensions
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been concerned about the escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela, his deputy spokesperson said Thursday.
The UN chief "has been concerned about any escalating tensions regarding the United States and Venezuela and he is concerned by this latest development," said Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson, in response to a question at a daily briefing.
"We are calling on all actors to refrain from actions that could further escalate bilateral tensions and destabilize Venezuela and the region," he said, adding that the United Nations urges all parties to honor their obligations under the UN Charter and international law.
Over the past few months, the United States has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, much of it off Venezuela's coast, purportedly to combat drug trafficking -- a claim Venezuela has denounced as a thinly veiled attempt to bring about regime change in Caracas.
