Venezuela’s government on Tuesday sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s announcement of a naval blockade targeting sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from the country, calling the move reckless and warning it could further destabilize an economy already under severe strain.
In a statement released by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro, Caracas accused Washington of acting with “utter irrationality,” arguing that the blockade amounted to an attempt to seize Venezuela’s natural wealth by force. “The President of the United States intends to impose a supposed naval blockade on Venezuela with the aim of stealing the riches that belong to our homeland,” the statement said.
Mr. Trump’s declaration, made earlier Tuesday, orders what he described as a “total and complete” blockade of oil vessels subject to U.S. sanctions, dramatically escalating pressure on the Maduro government. The move follows weeks of heightened tensions, including the recent seizure of a tanker off Venezuela’s coast and the expansion of U.S. naval deployments in the Caribbean.
While the White House has framed the buildup as part of a broader effort to combat drug trafficking in the region, U.S. officials have focused particular attention on Venezuela, accusing its government of financing criminal networks through illicit oil exports. Caracas has repeatedly rejected those claims, calling them a pretext for economic warfare.
The blockade threatens to further constrict Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy, already battered by years of sanctions, falling production, and chronic shortages. Oil remains the country’s primary source of foreign currency, and restrictions on tanker traffic could disrupt exports that sustain basic imports, including food and medicine.
For the Maduro government, the announcement reinforces long-standing accusations that Washington seeks regime change by strangling the economy rather than pursuing diplomacy. Venezuelan officials argue that sanctions and military pressure have failed to dislodge the government while deepening hardship for ordinary citizens.
The United States has opposed Mr. Maduro’s rule across multiple administrations, intensifying sanctions after disputed elections and alleging human rights abuses. Mr. Trump has gone further than his predecessors, coupling economic measures with explicit military signaling.
Analysts warn that a naval blockade — traditionally regarded as an act of war under international law — risks miscalculation in an already volatile region. Several U.S. lawmakers have raised alarms about the potential consequences, urging congressional oversight before hostilities escalate further.
As warships patrol Caribbean waters and rhetoric hardens on both sides, the confrontation has moved beyond sanctions into dangerous new territory — one that could redraw the balance of power in the region and deepen Venezuela’s long-running crisis.
