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US intercepts tanker off Venezuela in escalating standoff
Washington dramatically tightened its campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on 10 December, seizing a tanker accused of transporting sanctioned oil near the South American nation's coastline. The move marks a sharp escalation in the Trump administration's efforts to isolate Maduro's government.
Military buildup and drug allegations
US warships, including the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier, remain positioned within striking range of Venezuela. Over the past three months, American forces have conducted more than 20 airstrikes in international waters, targeting vessels suspected of drug trafficking. At least 80 people have died in these operations, which the US describes as part of a "non-international armed conflict" against "narco terrorists."
Legal experts dispute this characterization. A former International Criminal Court prosecutor told the BBC the strikes amounted to "a planned, systematic attack against civilians during peacetime." The White House countered that the actions comply with armed conflict laws, citing threats to US security from cartels "bringing poison to our shores."
Rewards, rhetoric, and disputed elections
The Trump administration has doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro's capture, now offering $25 million. Trump has repeatedly blamed Maduro for the exodus of nearly 8 million Venezuelans since 2013, including hundreds of thousands who have reached the US. Without evidence, Trump has accused Maduro of "emptying prisons and insane asylums" to fuel migration.
Maduro, who succeeded Hugo Chávez in 2013, has consolidated power over Venezuela's institutions, including the judiciary and electoral council. In 2024, he was declared the winner of a presidential election, despite opposition claims that their candidate, Edmundo González, won by a landslide. González replaced María Corina Machado, who was barred from running but later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her pro-democracy advocacy.
Drug trafficking claims and oil tensions
Trump has designated two Venezuelan groups-Tren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles-as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, alleging the latter is led by Maduro. Analysts note that "Cartel de los Soles" refers to corrupt officials facilitating cocaine transit, not a structured cartel. Venezuela serves primarily as a transit country for drugs produced elsewhere, with most cocaine reaching the US via the Pacific, not the Caribbean.
Despite this, the US has focused its counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean, where fentanyl-a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin-is rarely sourced. The DEA's 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment does not list Venezuela as a fentanyl origin point.
Oil reserves and diplomatic ultimatums
Venezuela's oil exports, its primary revenue source, total roughly 900,000 barrels daily, with China as the largest buyer. After the tanker seizure, Trump told reporters, "I assume we're going to keep the oil," echoing past denials that US actions aim to access Venezuela's vast crude reserves.
Reuters reported that Trump gave Maduro a one-week ultimatum to leave Venezuela during a 21 November phone call. When Maduro refused, the US declared Venezuelan airspace closed. Trump's press secretary has not ruled out ground operations, though details remain unspecified.
Regional implications
Military analysts argue the US deployment-its largest in the Caribbean since the 1989 Panama invasion-exceeds counternarcotics needs. Following the tanker seizure, a CBS News source indicated further similar actions may be planned, signaling a potential shift toward more aggressive measures against Maduro's government.
