Venezuela has asked the UN Security Council to convene an emergency meeting over "continued US aggression" against the South American country, according to a letter to the 15-member council seen by Reuters.
A United Nations diplomat said the meeting would likely be scheduled for next Tuesday. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump imposed a "blockade" on all sanctioned oil tankers sailing to and from Venezuela.
The move was the latest in Washington's efforts to ratchet up pressure on the government of Nicolas Maduro and a direct hit to its main source of revenue – oil.
Meanwhile, Republicans, who have a majority in the US House of Representatives, rejected proposals for resolution texts submitted by Democrats that aimed to limit Trump's authority to use military force against drug cartels and the people of Venezuela, the Associated Press reported.
Democrats triggered the votes, taking advantage of the legislature's right to make decisions regarding the presidential institution's war-making powers. The opposition took this step against the backdrop of the increasing threats from the owner of the White House against the South American country, which is why Congress has demanded explanations from the US armed forces regarding the way in which the military campaign against the cartels is being conducted, since the beginning of which 25 vessels have been destroyed and at least 95 people have been killed.
The bill proposed by the Democrats would have obliged the "Trump" government first seek approval from Congress before carrying out attacks on cartels he has declared terrorist organizations operating in the Western Hemisphere, and before launching an attack on Venezuela itself.
Congressman Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Trump's actions in the region are due to his "lust for Venezuelan oil".
These were essentially the first votes in the House on the president's military campaign in Central and South America, the Associated Press notes. Previously, the Senate had also rejected similar texts with the votes of Republicans, who also have a majority there. But even if they had passed both chambers, Trump would almost certainly have vetoed them.
Nevertheless, Democrats are not shying away from using this toolkit as a way to spark public debate about the military campaign and, through their public effect, possibly force Republicans to adopt their position. The latter, however, are standing firmly behind their fellow party president at this stage, despite the threat of tensions escalating into a direct confrontation with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, notes the Associated Press.
"The Trump administration has never publicly stated that it wants regime change, but I personally would not mind if that is his position," said Senate Majority Leader John Thune. "Maduro is a tumor on this continent."
The Trump administration has not sought congressional approval for its recent military actions in the Caribbean. According to him, drug-smuggling boats are subject to the same actions as all other terrorist threats against the United States. However, the thesis is controversial and the whole issue is being monitored closely, especially after the operation on September 2, when two people were killed in a second attack after surviving the first.
UN chief Antonio Guterres called for a reduction in tensions between the United States and Venezuela, his spokesman said.
The appeal came a day after Washington imposed a blockade on "sanctioned tankers" from the Venezuelan oil fleet, Agence France-Presse reported.
"The secretary-general is focused on preventing any further escalation of tensions. He calls for restraint and an immediate calm," Guterres' spokesman Farhan Haq told a briefing.
Earlier, Caracas reported that Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro had spoken by phone with the UN Secretary-General and that he had discussed with him "Washington's threats of escalation" in the context of the partial blockade of Venezuelan oil exports imposed by the United States through measures against tankers.
In the conversation, Maduro warned that the campaign launched by US President Donald Trump against him has "serious consequences for regional peace," the Foreign Ministry in Caracas said.