The Trump administration’s efforts to dam oil and gasoline shipments into and out of Venezuela are designed to pressure strongman Nicolás Maduro to step apart. However, his supporters say the sanctions display indifference to the struggling of Venezuelans. Their argument could be extra convincing if not for Mr. Maduro’s persistent cruelty towards his personal folks. Take his regime’s choice this month to attempt to block using Airtm, an more and more fashionable digital-currency platform that permits Venezuelans to obtain, save and transact in U.S. {dollars} and to purchase or promote bolivars at market charges. By By Mary Anastasia O’Grady. Full Text-> The Wall Street Journal

The international community should focus on humanitarian aid, and try to prevent a health disaster that could spread across much of Latin America. By Cyntia Arnson and Oriana Van Praag . Full text-> Americas Quarterly