Overview
- U.S. forces have intercepted two fully loaded Venezuelan oil tankers in the Caribbean and pursued a third seizure of the sanctioned, unloaded Bella‑1.
- The Pentagon has concentrated a large deployment in the region, reported as more than 15,000 personnel with a carrier, multiple warships and F‑35 aircraft.
- Moscow condemned the interdictions as unlawful and described the situation as “legal chaos,” while Venezuela publicly thanked Russia for its backing.
- U.N. experts and several countries questioned the legality of the operations, and Washington’s use of “quarantine” language drew comparisons to past crises.
- Maduro accused the U.S. of fabricating a narrative to seize resources after Caracas released 71 detainees, and Trump warned of consequences if Maduro “acts tough.”