Overview
- President Trump said U.S. forces carried out a large-scale strike and captured Nicolás Maduro, a claim reported by U.S. outlets citing administration officials.
- Treasury’s OFAC designated four tankers—Nord Star, Lunar Tide, Rosalind and Della—and their ownership firms as blocked property tied to the Venezuelan oil trade.
- At least seven additional ships reversed course or stalled at sea, filling storage and forcing PDVSA to shut some wells, with Orinoco output down about 25% from mid‑December levels on Dec. 29.
- UN experts and other critics say the tanker blockade violates international law, while the U.S. argues the measures cut funding to narcotics networks and Maduro’s government.
- Market analysts see a limited near‑term impact on global oil prices despite a higher Venezuela risk premium, and PDVSA said key oil infrastructure remained unaffected by the strikes.