Overview
- UN human rights experts said the U.S. partial maritime blockade violates international law and could constitute illegal armed aggression subject to universal jurisdiction, citing recent lethal interdictions at sea.
- U.S. forces have seized two sanctioned tankers, the Skipper and Centuries, and are pursuing a third vessel under a court seizure order as part of stepped‑up Coast Guard operations targeting a clandestine shipping network.
- President Donald Trump warned that Nicolás Maduro should resign, saying it would be “intelligent,” and U.S. officials vowed sanctions “to the maximum,” highlighting the designation of the Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
- China and Russia condemned the U.S. moves at the UN Security Council, Mexico cautioned that the deployment risks regional stability and offered to facilitate dialogue, and Moscow reiterated its criticism on Thursday.
- Caracas projected domestic resolve with public festivities and claims of “overwhelming” UN Security Council support as the defense minister touted enhanced airspace surveillance, while opposition leader María Corina Machado reported threats against political prisoners at El Rodeo.