Overview
- President Donald Trump announced a “total and complete” blockade on U.S.-sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela and demanded the return of “oil, land, and other assets” he says were taken from U.S. firms.
- U.S. forces recently seized the tanker Skipper and have conducted months of lethal strikes on suspected drug boats, with new military activity reported and a large naval presence that includes the USS Gerald R. Ford.
- Venezuela’s defense ministry rejected the threats as piracy and an attempt to seize resources, filed a complaint to the U.N. Security Council, and vowed to defend sovereignty.
- Tankers have begun diverting and ship operators rely on a shadow fleet to evade sanctions, with analysts warning the partial blockade of sanctioned vessels could significantly cut oil revenue.
- Lawmakers advanced oversight requiring disclosure of orders and unedited videos of boat strikes, the U.N. urged restraint, and experts cautioned that unilateral efforts to unseat Nicolás Maduro risk severe destabilization.