Donald Trump warns Nicolas Maduro that it will be "smart" for the Venezuelan leader to step down,saying he is ready to escalate pressure on Caracas after months of rising tensions.
00:00Welcome back. Donald Trump has warned Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro that it would be smart for him to step down.
00:08The U.S. president also signaled he is prepared to escalate pressure on Caracas after four months of rising tensions.
00:16Trump made the comments as the U.S. Coast Guard continued for a second day to pursue a third oil tanker
00:22described as part of a dark fleet used by Venezuela to evade U.S. sanctions.
00:27He also vowed to keep the first two ships seized by U.S. authorities, along with nearly four million barrels of Venezuelan oil.
00:37Maduro hit back at Trump's latest comments, urging the U.S. president to focus on America's own economic and social problems.
00:44The escalating standoff comes ahead of a United Nations Security Council meeting, scheduled later on Tuesday to discuss the crisis.
00:52The session was requested by Venezuela with backing from Russia and China.
00:56The campaign against Venezuela's oil sector also comes amid a major U.S. military buildup in the region.
01:04It has included more than two dozen strikes on alleged drug smuggling vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near Venezuela and killed more than 100 people.
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