WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The White House has ordered the U.S. military to focus almost exclusively on enforcing a "quarantine" of Venezuelan oil for at least the next two months, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing a U.S. official.
"While military options still exist, the focus is to first use economic pressure by enforcing sanctions to reach the outcome the White House is looking," the official said.
"The efforts so far have put tremendous pressure on (Venezuelan President Nicolas) Maduro and the belief is that by late January Venezuela will be facing an economic calamity unless it agrees to make significant concessions to the U.S.," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. ■
