Overview
- An anonymous U.S. official said the White House directed forces to focus almost exclusively on enforcing a two‑month oil quarantine to pressure Nicolás Maduro through sanctions rather than new military strikes.
- U.S. operations have seized at least two oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude and attempted a third interdiction targeting the sanctioned, empty vessel Bella‑1.
- The Pentagon maintains a large Caribbean posture reported at more than 15,000 personnel with a carrier, multiple warships and F‑35s to support interdiction efforts.
- UN experts and several nations criticized the measures as potentially unlawful, describing the maritime blockade as an illegal use of force under international law.
- Venezuela released 71 post‑electoral detainees, while reporting indicates Cuba is suffering widespread blackouts linked to reduced Venezuelan fuel shipments.