The United States made this declaration its declaration of emergency with respect to Venezuela, considering that the general situation of the government of Nicolás Maduro continues to be a threat to national security and the interests of the Americans, reported the White House.
The declaration of a national emergency, which allows a national leader to be against a country beyond that approved by Congress, was issued on March 8, 2015 by the then President Barack Obama.
The decree whose term was extended in 2016 and 2017 by Obama was based on the existence of human rights violations, reduction of press freedom, arbitrary arrests, persecution of opponents and huge government corruption.
On August 24, 2017, President Donald Trump will take additional steps regarding that national emergency declaration.
Trump based the renewal of the executive order as a sharpening of the circumstances that led to the first declaration, including grave abuses against human rights and fundamental freedoms, the deepening of the humanitarian crisis, the installation of an illegitimate national constituent assembly (ANC) , unbridled public corruption, repression and persecution of dissidents.
"The circumstances described as such have not improved and continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to national security and US foreign policy," Trump said in arguing his decision.
Asked on Thursday about the possibility of Washington applying an oil embargo in Caracas, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the Trump government is evaluating all options.
"They are considering all options to restore democracy in Venezuela
Washington takes measures against President Maduro and his employees and the prohibition to participate in the debt of the Venezuelan State or the Venezuelan state company Petróleos de Venezuela.