Trump orders a “total and complete” blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela

Trump assured in his Social Truth account that Venezuela “is surrounded” by “the largest navy ever assembled in the history of South America” ​​and that the commotion will be like never before until they “return all the oil, land and other assets they previously stole” to the United States.

The Republican thus announced the “total blockade” against oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, in a significant escalation of the military operation that began in the international waters of the Caribbean that supposedly had as its central objective to combat drug trafficking organizations that operate in the region.

In his message, the president added that “the illegitimate regime of Maduro is using the oil from these stolen fields to finance himself, narcoterrorismhuman trafficking, murder and kidnapping.

Following the presidential order, it is not clear how many oil tankers would be affected or what consequences this measure will have for the Venezuelan oil industry.

Minutes before, Maduro called oil and gas industry workers to organize “a great global protest” against the United States Government and for the defense of “freedom of trade in Venezuela and the entire world.”

During a constituent congress, broadcast by the state channel Venezolana de Televisión, the president asked that the protest be permanent – not for a single day, he stressed – and be carried out against what he described as the “piracy” of the United States.

In turn, he asked the “oil working class” to defend the “right to free trade” of Venezuelan oil in “all international scenarios” and, in addition, “speak with the shipowners of all the ports of the world” to prepare this protest against what he considered the United States’ intention to “impose the patent of marque again throughout the world.”

“The defense of freedom of trade and peace in the Caribbean and Venezuela is the defense of freedom of trade and peace in the entire world,” Maduro stressed.

Last week, the United States Southern Command, which since August has attacked more than 30 boats allegedly linked to drug trafficking in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific, took a turn in its operations in international waters by seizing the oil tanker Skipper, which was transporting Venezuelan crude oil near the coast of the South American country and was intercepted by US forces in the Caribbean. under a court order.

The ship, sanctioned by Washington since 2022 for its links with a “shadow fleet” for transporting crude oil and accused of violating sanctions regulations, was transferred to a United States port to begin a legal process to confiscate its cargo.

The move, considered a significant escalation in pressure against Maduro, has further strained relations between both countries and contributed to a drop in shipments of Venezuelan crude oil, while threatening new seizures of sanctioned oil tankers in nearby waters.

The new escalation of the US military operation came amid an increase in military presence in the Caribbean, while the White House defended the seizure of the first sanctioned oil tanker as part of its policy of sanctions and control of assets linked to illicit activities.