Trump Orders Total Blockade on Venezuelan Oil Tankers, Escalates Pressure on Maduro Regime

US President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping escalation of pressure on Venezuela, ordering what he described as a “total and complete” blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country.

In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump accused the government of President Nicolas Maduro of stealing oil revenues and using them to fund drug trafficking, terrorism and human smuggling. He said the United States would no longer tolerate what he called systematic criminal activity tied to Venezuela’s energy sector.

Trump claimed that Venezuelan oil resources had been unlawfully exploited and diverted to finance what he termed “drug terrorism.” He warned that US military pressure around Venezuela would continue to intensify unless Caracas returned oil, land and other assets that he said had been taken from the United States.

The US President also announced that Washington has designated the Maduro government as a “foreign terrorist organisation,” citing alleged involvement in drug trafficking, kidnapping, human smuggling and organised violence. Under the new directive, US forces have been instructed to block sanctioned oil tankers travelling to or from Venezuelan ports.

However, Trump did not provide details on how the blockade would be enforced, nor did he clarify whether US allies would participate in the operation. The move significantly raises the stakes in Washington’s long-running standoff with Caracas.

The announcement comes amid an expanded US military presence in the Caribbean and waters near Venezuela. Recent operations have included naval deployments, air patrols and the seizure of vessels accused of participating in illicit oil trade. Earlier this week, Trump said US forces had seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast as part of the crackdown.

Linking the issue to immigration, Trump claimed that Venezuelans who entered the United States illegally during the previous administration were now being deported at an accelerated pace.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has rejected the allegations, accusing Washington of attempting to force regime change. He also criticised the United Nations for remaining silent over what he described as piracy against private vessels transporting Venezuelan oil.

Trump’s Republican administration has not sought congressional authorisation for action against Venezuela. According to US officials, the ongoing maritime drug campaign has resulted in at least 95 deaths across 25 known incidents involving vessels in international waters in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.