Overview
- The Treasury announced sanctions on three nephews of Cilia Flores, businessman Ramón Carretero, and six Venezuela-linked shipping firms tied to oil transport.
- U.S. forces intercepted the tanker Skipper (formerly Adisa) off Venezuela and plan to bring it to a U.S. port for cargo confiscation under a legal process.
- The White House said the tanker's crew were questioned, while Nicolás Maduro alleged the sailors are missing, underscoring conflicting accounts of the operation.
- President Donald Trump said land attacks against transnational drug networks “are going to start happening,” emphasizing operations against traffickers rather than a specific country.
- U.S. F/A-18 Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers conducted tracked flights near La Orchila as Venezuela’s defense chief accused Washington of seeking war, with tensions already sharpened by at least 87 deaths in maritime interdictions since September.