US House votes down measures aimed at limiting Trump’s Venezuela aggression

The US House of Representatives narrowly voted down two Democratic-sponsored resolutions aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s aggressive campaign toward Venezuela.

Trump has ramped up his “maximum pressure” campaign against Venezuela under the guise of a war on drugs, with reports saying Washington plans to seize control of the Latin American nation's oil production.

The increasing American military buildup near Venezuela and attacks on boats have sparked condemnation from inside the US, with some lawmakers trying to rein in Trump. However, on Wednesday, the two resolutions were voted down.

The first measure rejected was a resolution sponsored by Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

It sought to bar the US armed forces from engaging in hostilities with "any presidentially designated terrorist organization in the Western Hemisphere" unless authorized by Congress. Lawmakers voted it down, 216 to 210.

The second bid was a resolution sponsored by Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee. The resolution directed the president to end the US forces' hostilities against Venezuela unless authorized by Congress. The Republican-majority House voted 213 to 211 against this bid, as well.

House Republicans and Democrats voted almost exclusively along party lines. Two Republicans voted with Democrats for the first resolution, and three backed the second. Two Democrats opposed the first resolution, and one voted no on the second.

Iran condemns US maritime blockade on Venezuela as ‘state piracy’

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the United States’ threats to unilaterally impose a maritime blockade on Venezuela.

The rejection came as Trump had ordered a "blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers leaving and entering Venezuela, while US troops have carried out more than two dozen strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific since early September, killing at least 99 people.

Political and diplomatic sources cited in multiple media reports suggest the United States is seeking greater control over Venezuela’s oil sector. Even a Trump aide has confirmed this. 

Stephen Miller claimed on Wednesday that Venezuela’s oil belongs to Washington, describing the nationalisation of the South American country’s petroleum industry as “theft.”

Venezuelan president warns US trying to seize country's oil reserves

The Venezuelan president has condemned Washington

His comments have raised new questions over the Trump administration’s claim that drug smuggling is its primary source of tensions with Venezuela.

In 2007, under the late left-wing President Hugo Chavez, Caracas took control of assets left by the Americans and nationalized the remaining foreign assets in Venezuela.

“American sweat, ingenuity, and toil created the oil industry in Venezuela,” Miller wrote in a social media post. “Its tyrannical expropriation was the largest recorded theft of American wealth and property.”

Earlier, Trump had made a similar comment, echoing Miller’s claim that Venezuelans had stolen oil from the US.

“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” Trump wrote.

“It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before – Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.”

Legal experts, however, have rejected the Americans' claim to ownership of Venezuelan oil, saying under international law the sovereign nation's resources belong to the Latin American country.

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