Donald Trump has not dismissed the potential for a conflict between the United States and Venezuela. The US president, in an interview with NBC News, stated, “I don’t rule it out, no,” when asked about the prospect. He indicated that there could be additional confiscations of oil tankers in the future, mentioning that if vessels are found sailing in a manner deemed unwise, they may be intercepted upon returning to US ports.
These remarks follow Trump’s directive to impose a “blockade” on sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela earlier in the week. Additionally, US forces captured an oil tanker near Venezuela on December 10, as depicted in a brief video shared by US Attorney General Pam Bondi. The footage displayed military helicopters approaching the vessel, with troops boarding the ship using ropes.
Bondi asserted that the seized vessel, reportedly named The Skipper, was linked to an “illicit oil shipping network aiding foreign terrorist groups” and was transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.
The seizure has heightened tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who condemned the incident as a “blatant theft” and “an act of international piracy.” A statement from Maduro’s government denounced the ongoing aggression against Venezuela, attributing it to a desire for the country’s natural resources, specifically its oil and energy reserves, which are deemed the property of the Venezuelan people.
Since September, the US has mobilized a naval force comprising nearly 15,000 troops in the Caribbean vicinity of Venezuela and conducted operations against 28 suspected drug boats, resulting in the reported deaths of over 100 individuals.
The Trump administration has intensified its pressure on Maduro, alleging Venezuela’s significant role in drug trafficking, particularly of fentanyl and cocaine, into the United States. Two Venezuelan criminal factions, Tren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles, have been designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, with Trump accusing Maduro of leading the latter group, a claim refuted by the Venezuelan president. Furthermore, US officials maintain that Venezuela is utilizing oil revenue to finance illicit drug-related activities.
Maduro has consistently denied any involvement in drug trafficking and has accused the US of leveraging its “war on drugs” as a pretext to depose him and seize Venezuela’s substantial oil reserves, amounting to over 300 billion barrels, representing approximately 20% of the world’s oil reserves.