It is actually a great policy by the USofA.
Firstly try and starve the people to death. Then negotiate with them and see what you can get - maybe a piece of great real estate to build the biggest and best hotel BUT keep them starving.
Then if they start reacting to the starvation - hey just turn up the screws on sanctions.
Has worked in most places so far but they are waking up including Venezuela orrr is it Vene-shu-eela??