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By Amira El-Fekki
Middle East News Reporter
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Venezuela on Tuesday condemned President Donald Trump’s order of a "total and complete blockade" of oil tankers going in and out of its ports as a "reckless threat" against the South American nation.
The government of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro said the United States was attempting to impose an "irrational military blockade" aimed at "stealing" the country's wealth, according to a statement carried by state media outlet Agencia Venezolana de Noticias.
Why It Matters
It was the latest escalation in already strained relations as Washington ramps up economic and military pressure on Maduro. The move follows U.S. forces' seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, accusing it of moving illicit oil tied to foreign terrorist groups.
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Caracas described the action as a "theft" and an "act of international piracy," and formally filed a complaint to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, as it reportedly faces mounting pressure on its oil shipments.
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What To Know
Venezuela affirmed its sovereignty over all natural resources and its right to free navigation and trade in the Caribbean Sea despite "warmongering threats," the government said in a statement on Tuesday.
Venezuelan oil exports have fallen sharply this week as U.S. actions disrupt tanker departures and leave cargoes stranded, according to Reuters. Tankers are being increasingly affected by route changes and attempts to evade U.S. naval interception in the Caribbean Sea
The Venezuelan government has framed Washington’s moves as interventionist and colonialist, asserting that they aim to seize Venezuelan oil, land, and mineral wealth.
In a Truth Social post earlier on Tuesday, Trump had accused what he called the "illegitimate Maduro regime" of using oil revenues to finance terrorism, drug trafficking and other crimes, and said the measures justified a full blockade of sanctioned tankers.
"Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America. It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before," Trump said.
The Trump administration has designated Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, alleging links to Maduro and senior military officials and responsibility for trafficking drugs to the U.S. and Europe and fomenting violence.
The U.S. has increased its military buildup in the Caribbean as well as surveillance operations near Venezuela, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned airlines of a worsening security situation over Venezuelan airspace.
What People Are Saying
Venezuela's government in a Tuesday statement: "[Trump] claims on his social media that Venezuela's oil, land, and mineral wealth are his property. Consequently, Venezuela must immediately hand over all its riches. The U.S. president seeks to impose an irrational naval blockade on Venezuela in order to steal the wealth that belongs to our homeland."
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: "For the theft of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela."
Venezuela's Foreign Ministry stated in letter to the U.N. Security Council: "This is an act of state piracy, carried out through the use of military force, constituting a blatant theft of assets…that are part of lawful international trade."
Venezuelan Ambassador to Egypt, Wilmer Barrientos, told Ahram Online in an interview on December 7: "Venezuela has forcefully rejected the recent and dangerous escalation of the U.S. government’s policy of hostility. These actions—beginning with illegal sanctions and smear campaigns—have reached an unprecedented level with the deployment of US military forces in the Caribbean. Of particular concern is the deployment of destroyers, missile cruisers, and a fast-attack nuclear submarine—a historic first for the region..."
What Happens Next
Caracas said it would pursue a complaint through the United Nations.
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