US President Donald Trump has imposed an oil blockade on Venezuela, redirecting a large American naval armada in the Caribbean from operations against alleged “narcoterrorists” to intercepting “sanctioned tankers” entering and leaving the country.
Trump announced the move in a Truth Social post on Tuesday, describing it as “a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into, and out of, Venezuela.”
“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America. It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before – until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the oil, land, and other assets that they previously stole from us,” Trump added.
The announcement follows the recent US seizure of a large oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast, a rare direct military action against Venezuelan oil exports.
Trump has also branded the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a “Foreign Terrorist Organization,” claiming that its oil profits fuel criminal networks and undermine regional security.
Washington “will not allow a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, all of which must be returned to the United States, IMMEDIATELY,” the US president added.
Since September, the US military has killed more than 80 people in attacks on boats, which Trump claimed were being used by the Venezuelan government to “flood” America with narcotics.
Venezuela has denied any involvement in drug trafficking and said the strikes were part of a “colonialist” plan to topple Maduro and plunder the country’s natural resources. Caracas also accused the US of “state piracy” and has vowed to defend its territory and natural wealth.
In an official statement released late Tuesday, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said Trump’s remarks revealed the “true intention” of the United States “to take over the oil, land, and minerals of Venezuela.”
The government rejected Trump’s claim that Venezuela had “stolen” assets from Washington and denounced his rhetoric as “interventionist and colonialist.” The statement accused the US president of violating international law, free trade, and freedom of navigation by ordering US naval forces in the Caribbean to prevent “sanctioned tankers” from entering or leaving Venezuelan waters.
“Through his social media statements, the president of the United States assumes that Venezuela’s oil, land, and mineral wealth belong to him,” the statement said. “On that basis, he seeks to impose a naval military blockade with the objective of robbing the riches that belong to our homeland.”
Rodriguez said Washington’s actions were part of a “gigantic campaign of lies and manipulation” aimed at justifying the appropriation of the country’s natural resources. She added that the US had always sought to dominate Venezuela economically and politically, regardless of changes in administration.
The government said Venezuela would exercise its rights under international law, its constitution, and the UN Charter, reaffirming its sovereignty over its natural resources and its right to free navigation and commerce in the Caribbean and beyond.
