Por Mauricio Torres, CNN en Español

La decisión de Estados Unidos de realizar un “bloqueo total y completo” a los buques petroleros sancionados que lleguen o salgan de Venezuela representa el más reciente paso del presidente Donald Trump para aumentar la presión sobre el Gobierno de Nicolás Maduro. Más aún, de acuerdo con algunos analistas, es una medida que podría tener importantes impactos en la economía del país sudamericano, que principalmente depende del petróleo.

El anuncio de este bloqueo se produjo este martes, menos de una semana después de que EE.UU. incautó un buque petrolero frente a las costas de Venezuela. EE.UU. dijo que el barco supuestamente participaba en una red ilícita de transporte de petróleo que apoya a organizaciones terroristas. Venezuela rechazó entonces la medida y la tachó de “despojo”.

Venezuela también se pronunció en contra del nuevo bloqueo, al que la misma noche del martes se refirió como “una amenaza temeraria y grave” que, según dijo, denunciará ante la ONU.

EE.UU. hasta ahora no ha explicado cómo se llevará a cabo el bloqueo, pero analistas consultados por CNN estiman que, independientemente de sus puntos finos, podría tener consecuencias relevantes en las operaciones petroleras de Venezuela y, por lo tanto, en la economía del país.

Francisco Monaldi, director del Programa Latinoamericano de Energía del Instituto Baker de la Universidad de Rice, dijo que la incautación del jueves pasado ya ha tenido efectos, como hacer que algunos buques petroleros que se dirigían a Venezuela suspendieran sus trayectos. Esta situación se podría agravar con la nueva medida anunciada por EE.UU., agregó.

“El bloqueo puede significar dos cosas: que básicamente obstaculicen el paso de estos barcos o que los incauten como hicieron con el de la semana pasada”, expuso Monaldi.

“En general, no es necesario que lleguen a incautar. En muchos casos, solo con advertirle a los barcos que serán incautados si siguen su curso los pueden hacer no llegar a Venezuela o no salir de Venezuela, así que debería tener unos impactos importantes en los ingresos de Venezuela y producir posiblemente devaluación, mayor inflación y posiblemente, si sigue por mucho tiempo, una contracción económica importante”, detalló.

Imdat Oner, analista de políticas del Instituto Jack D. Gordon y exdiplomático turco basado en Venezuela, coincidió en que el nuevo bloqueo podría significar un duro golpe para la economía venezolana.

“Bloquear los petroleros claramente atacará el corazón del régimen. Gran parte del petróleo de Venezuela quedaría atrapado dentro del país y probablemente se vendería con fuertes descuentos a los comerciantes dispuestos a asumir el riesgo. Esto tiene dos efectos claros: primero, profundizará la crisis económica para los venezolanos comunes; segundo, reducirá el flujo de efectivo que sostiene al círculo cercano de Maduro”, dijo.

El petróleo representa el 87 % de las exportaciones totales de Venezuela, de acuerdo con la Organización de Países Exportadores de Petróleo (OPEP). Tan solo en 2024, esto significó para Venezuela ingresos por US$ 18.372 millones.

De ese petróleo exportado, según Monaldi, el 80 % se dirige a China —a refinerías privadas, no a instalaciones estatales—, mientras que entre el 15 % y el 16% va hacia EE.UU. —a través de la licencia de la empresa Chevron— y el resto va para Cuba.

La actual producción petrolera de Venezuela, sin embargo, es mucho menor a la que el país tenía en 2013, según los datos de la OPEP.

Ese año —el mismo en el que Maduro llegó a la presidencia tr

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By Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN

(CNN) — As New York police investigate a stabbing possibly fueled by antisemitism just days after the Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney, Australia, leaders in Brooklyn’s Jewish community say the incidents have only worsened the fear and anxiety they already face every day.

“It’s a scary time,” said Anna Keller, director of family engagement and partnerships for the Jewish Community Center Brooklyn. “And there’s no handbook on how to navigate it.”

Authorities say they are searching for the person who stabbed a man during a verbal altercation that turned physical on Tuesday in the Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn – a community with a sizable Jewish population. The victim’s injuries, police say, were non-life-threatening.

“At this time, we are investigating reports that this incident originated from antisemitic comments that were made by the perpetrator,” the New York Police Department said in a news release. “In the hours since, the NYPD has deployed dozens of additional officers to Crown Heights and the surrounding areas to search for the perpetrator.”

The incident came as many members of the Jewish community in Crown Heights and beyond were already concerned about their safety following a mass shooting Sunday at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a celebration of the first night of Hanukkah. Fifteen people were killed in the shooting. Australian authorities have said the alleged attackers were fueled by “Islamic State ideology.”

The NYPD said earlier this week it was increasing police presence at Hanukkah celebrations and synagogues in light of the Sydney attack. Hanukkah is being celebrated through December 22.

Antisemitism has surged in recent years, particularly following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

In the US, the number of antisemitic incidents has been on the rise for the past four years, with data from the Anti-Defamation League showing the figure last year reached its highest level since the organization began tracking it in 1979.

More locally, New York saw a renewed focus on Jewish safety this year during the mayoral race: Jewish leaders expressed skepticism and concern about Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a vocal critic of the Israeli government who will become the city’s first Muslim mayor when he takes office on January 1.

Mamdani has said he looks forward to being a mayor for all New Yorkers, including Jewish residents.

There have been 305 hate crimes reported in New York as of December 15, which is down 9% from last year when there were 334, according to the NYPD.

Shmuel Rosenstein, acting chairman of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, said the Jewish community in Crown Heights was still planning to move forward with its Hanukkah events and menorah lightings despite the recent attacks.

Still, Rosenstein said many Jewish people remain concerned about what happened in Australia and whether there is an increased threat to thei

By Ellis Kim, CNN

(CNN) — The House on Wednesday voted to pass a bill that could imprison health care providers for providing gender-affirming care for minors.

The bill — titled the “Protect Children’s Innocence Act” and sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia — would make it a class C felony to treat minors with gender-affirming care like surgeries and puberty blockers. If enacted, the bill could imprison doctors who provide such care for up to ten years.

It’s unclear whether the GOP-led Senate will take up the measure, though it is unlikely it would get enough Democratic support to pass out of that chamber.

The House vote was 216-211. Three Democrats supported the measure, while four Republicans were opposed.

Greene said last week she secured floor consideration of her bill as part of a deal with leaders who wanted her to drop her opposition to advancing a critical defense policy bill.

Civil rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union described Greene’s bill as “the most extreme anti-trans legislation ever considered by Congress.”

Ahead of the vote, Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride criticized congressional Republicans as being “obsessed with trans people.”

“I actually think they think more about trans people than trans people think about trans people,” said McBride, who is the first out transgender member of Congress.

“They are consumed with this, and they are extreme on it,” the Delaware Democrat added.

A second bill, sponsored by GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas, prohibits federal Medicaid funding for “gender transition procedures for minors.” The House is expected to vote on that bill on Thursday.

McBride said Wednesday that Republicans were “trying to politicize a misunderstood community and misunderstood care.”

“No one’s healthcare should be politicized,” she said.

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CNN’s Michael Williams contributed to this report.

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WASHINGTON D.C. (KEYT) – On Wednesday, federal regulators agreed with Sable Offshore that local pipelines used to transport oil are subject to exclusively federal oversight and no longer under the jurisdiction of the California Office of State Fire Marshal.

"PHMSA [Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration] agrees with your [Sable Offshore] determination that the Las Flores Pipeline is an interstate pipeline," stated a letter from the Department of Transportation Wednesday. "The PSA [Pipeline Safety Act] vests with PHMSA exclusive regulatory authority over interstate pipelines and preempts States from adopting or continuing in force safety standards for interstate pipelines."

In September, Sable Offshore submitted official paperwork to restart oil production with the California Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and the state-based safety agency responded the next month that there were still unmet conditions before an official restart.

The image below, from an informational slide presented to investors by Sable Offshore, shows the assets that make up the Santa Ynez Unit in both federal and state waters as well as onshore facilities.

The energy company responded the following day in a letter that stated the OSFM's conclusions, "are in error" and the requirements mentioned by the OSFM regarding safety tools only had to be conducted within seven days of achieving initial steady state operation, but not before restart.

In November, Sable Offshore requested that federal regulators with the U.S. Department of Transportation take over supervision of the Houston-based company's attempts to restart oil production.

According to an 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Sable Offshore informed investors that it had determined that the pipeline connecting the Santa Ynez Unit to Pentland Station in Kern County is technically an interstate pipeline under the Pipeline Safety Act and therefore not subject to oversight by the state's Office of State Fire Marshal.

That designation was sent for confirmation with the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Safety Administration and included a request to transfer all regulatory authority from the California regulator to the federal agency.

According to Wednesday's letter, federal regulators conducted on-site inspections earlier this month alongside representatives from the State Fire Marshal and reviewed written procedures and field observations across the Santa Ynez Unit which extend oil pipelines to refineries across the state.

"As portions of the Las Flores Pipeline were previously considered to be intrastate and regulated by OSFM, PHMSA is notifying OSFM that the Las Flores Pi