Trump announces ‘TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE’ of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers
President Donald Trump made a bold announcement on Tuesday regarding the situation in Venezuela, declaring a “blockade” of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers. This move is seen as a significant escalation of American pressure on the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
In a social media post, Trump stated that Venezuela is now surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the history of South America. He emphasized that this blockade will only grow in size, causing shock to the Venezuelan regime until they return all the oil, land, and assets that they allegedly stole from the United States.
It is worth noting that Trump’s reference to stolen oil and land may date back to actions taken by the Venezuelan government under former President Hugo Chavez, who nationalized oil fields in 2007 and expropriated assets from some American oil companies.
In response to Trump’s declaration, the Venezuelan government labeled it as a “reckless and serious threat” that violates international law, free trade, and freedom of navigation. The government accused the U.S. of attempting to impose a naval military blockade on Venezuela in an irrational manner to seize the country’s wealth.
Despite the U.S. having 11 warships in the Caribbean, the most in decades, implementing a traditional blockade that completely seals off a country’s coastline may prove challenging. Reports indicate that there are approximately 30 sanctioned ships involved in transporting Venezuelan oil, with over a dozen currently in Venezuelan waters according to Tanker Trackers.
Recently, the U.S. seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, which officials claimed was part of an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations and facilitating oil transfers between Venezuela and Iran, with the tanker bound for Cuba.
Furthermore, the U.S. military has conducted numerous strikes on vessels allegedly carrying drugs since September, as part of efforts to combat drug trafficking into the U.S.
Trump’s latest post comes after White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was quoted in Vanity Fair stating that Trump intends to continue taking action against Venezuela until Maduro capitulates. In his post, Trump referred to Maduro’s government as a “Hostile Regime,” accusing them of using stolen oil fields to finance illicit activities such as drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping.
The U.S. has previously designated Maduro as the head of a foreign terrorist organization, citing reasons such as terrorism, drug smuggling, and human trafficking. Trump’s strong stance against the Venezuelan regime underscores the ongoing tensions between the two countries and the complex geopolitical dynamics at play in the region.
