US President Donald Trump has announced a “total and complete” blockade on all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. The move comes after the US seized an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast last week. Trump accused Maduro’s government of being a foreign terrorist organization, stealing US assets, and engaging in terrorism, drug smuggling, and human trafficking.
The US has imposed stringent sanctions on Venezuela for years, pressuring President Maduro to step down. Last week, the US also seized another ship involved in illicit oil shipping. Venezuela’s government denounces these actions, calling them an “act of war”.
The White House says the seizures are aimed at curbing illicit oil shipments and that the ships will be taken to American ports for investigation. However, the move has sparked concerns from lawmakers, who say it could escalate tensions with Venezuela.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump claimed that Venezuela was “completely surrounded” by the US military and that its navy would only get bigger and more powerful. The situation remains tense as the US and Venezuela engage in an escalating standoff over oil shipments and sanctions.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gej5ezyypo