In a significant escalation of pressure against the Venezuelan government, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday a comprehensive naval blockade targeting all sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela. The declaration, made via his Truth Social platform, marks the latest development in a prolonged campaign against the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump formally designated the Venezuelan government as a ‘foreign terrorist organization,’ leveling serious accusations of involvement in international terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and human smuggling operations. The former president asserted that the United States would not permit ‘a hostile regime to take our oil, land, or any other assets,’ demanding the immediate return of what he characterized as stolen national resources.
The announcement comes amid a substantial U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean region, which Trump described as ‘the largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America.’ This naval presence, ostensibly deployed to combat drug trafficking, has drawn sharp criticism from the Venezuelan government, which views it as a thinly disguised attempt to force regime change in Caracas.
Recent weeks have seen concrete actions preceding this latest escalation. Last week, U.S. authorities intercepted an oil tanker near Venezuela’s coastline and imposed fresh sanctions on three relatives of Maduro’s wife, a business associate with government ties, and six companies involved in Venezuelan petroleum shipping.
According to available data, U.S. military operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September have resulted in the sinking of approximately 25 suspected narcotics vessels and the reported deaths of at least 95 individuals aboard these craft.
Trump has repeatedly hinted at impending ground operations against Caribbean drug traffickers, statements that have substantially heightened tensions between the two nations. These developments have raised concerns among U.S. lawmakers and international observers regarding the legal justification and underlying motives behind military actions in the region.
Recent polling indicates significant public skepticism, with a Reuters/Ipsos survey showing nearly half of American adults oppose military strikes against suspected drug vessels without prior judicial authorization.