Overview
- Washington ordered forces in the Caribbean to block departures of Venezuelan crude tankers for an initial two-month period under a targeted quarantine.
- U.S. maneuvers included seven KC-135 tankers from MacDill, combat jets from Langley, and additional tankers from Las Américas operating with transponders off, as President Trump said ground operations against drug cartels that could include Venezuela are being prepared.
- Independent tracker TankerTrackers estimates about 17.5 million barrels of Venezuelan oil—roughly $900 million in value—are stranded on tankers and unable to sail.
- Under U.S. Treasury controls, Chevron remains the only U.S.-authorized operator in Venezuela after a license lapse in May and a reissued authorization with revised terms in July.
- Analysts warn the export freeze could quickly erode state finances and constrain imports of food and medicine in an already fragile economy.