Carrie Conn

To date, the U.S.

has killed at least 144 people in 42 strikes in operations many legal experts say are unlawful.

Carrie Conn, NPR News, Rio de Janeiro.

Machado has tried to win back Trump's support, heaping praise on him in media interviews and pledging to share her Nobel Peace Prize.

But Trump has signaled for now his support is solidly behind Venezuela's interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, with whom Trump says he recently had a good conversation.

Machado's political party is widely seen as the legitimate winners of the 2024 presidential election that then-leader Nicolás Maduro claimed to have won.

Machado led huge protests and, according to multiple recent polls, remains widely popular inside Venezuela.

Carrie Conn, NPR News, Rio de Janeiro.

Trump says for many years Cuba has lived off Venezuela's aid and in exchange Cuba has provided, quote, security services for two Venezuelan dictators.

Writing on social media, Trump posts, but not anymore and added, quote, I strongly suggest they make a deal before it's too late.

Cuba is suffering its greatest economic crisis in decades, with the island experiencing blackouts, food shortages, and long gas lines.

It relies heavily on Venezuelan oil, and without it, experts warn the economy could collapse, leading to widespread suffering and social unrest.

The U.S.

has stepped up its blockade of oil tankers coming to and from Venezuela, boarding another ship on Friday.

It's the third since the U.S.

removed Maduro from power.

Carrie Conn, NPR News, Bogota, Colombia.

A U.S.

official tells NPR that the U.S.

Coast Guard, quote, The official was not authorized to speak publicly, but did add that the tanker is, quote,