WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a naval blockade of “sanctioned oil vessels” leaving and heading to Venezuela, saying that the South American nation was "completely surrounded."
In a post on Truth Social, Trump claims that Venezuela has been using oil to fund drug trafficking and other crimes.
“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,” the president continues. “I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela."
The president assured that the armada “will only get bigger” until Venezuela returns “to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.”
For several months, the U.S. has increased its military presence in the Caribbean as it aims to combat drug trafficking, perhaps looking to oust Dictator Nicolas Maduro.
The U.S. has carried out a minimum of 25 attacks on alleged drug boats this year. These attacks in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific near Venezuela have left more than 95 people dead.
Last week, US forces seized an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast. According to the New York Times, the tanker was suspected of carrying around 2 million barrels of Venezuela’s crude oil.
On Monday, President Trump issued an executive order classifying fentanyl as a ‘WMD’.
Most recently on Tuesday, the State Department has labeled the Colombian organized crime group, ‘Clan del Golfo,’ as an SDGT, a Specifically Designated Terrorist Group.
On Tuesday, before Trump’s post, Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro, spoke at an event. “Imperialism and the fascist right want to colonize Venezuela to take over its wealth of oil, gas, gold, and other minerals. We have sworn absolutely to defend our homeland, and in Venezuela, peace will triumph,” Maduro said.
Following the Truth Social post, the Venezuelan government stated that it rejected Trump’s order of a blockade. Labeling it as a “grotesque threat,” according to Reuters.
In a statement, the government expressed, “The President of the United States intends to impose, in an utterly irrational manner, a supposed naval blockade on Venezuela with the aim of stealing the riches that belong to our homeland.”
