'Shock like nothing they’ve ever seen': Trump orders naval blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers; escalates pressure on Maduro

US President Donald Trump has sharply escalated his confrontation with Venezuela, ordering what he called a “total and complete” blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving the country and declaring the Maduro government a “foreign terrorist organisation”.

Announcing the decision late on Tuesday, Trump accused President Nicolás Maduro’s government of using oil revenues to finance drug trafficking and organised crime, while vowing to expand the US military presence around the South American nation. The announcement follows weeks of rising tension, including naval deployments, air patrols and the seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast.




Trump’s order targets all sanctioned oil vessels travelling to and from Venezuela, effectively formalising what oil traders say had already become a de facto embargo after US forces seized a tanker last week carrying an estimated two million barrels of Venezuelan crude. Since then, several tankers loaded with oil have remained in Venezuelan waters rather than risk interception.

The administration has moved thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships into the Caribbean, including an aircraft carrier, alongside maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters capable of tracking shipping routes across the region. While the White House has not detailed how the blockade will be enforced, analysts expect the US Navy and Coast Guard to play a central role.

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Oil markets reacted cautiously, with prices edging higher amid fears that Venezuelan exports could fall sharply. Venezuela produces about one million barrels of oil a day, exporting most of it. Any prolonged disruption could remove close to a million barrels a day from global supply, although traders note that supplies remain ample for now.

The impact has been compounded by a cyberattack this week that disrupted systems at PDVSA, Venezuela’s state oil company, further slowing exports. Economists warn that a sustained blockade could trigger shortages of food and medicine by cutting off the country’s ability to earn foreign currency.

Maduro’s response and regional fallout

Maduro’s government has condemned the blockade as illegal and accused Washington of piracy and economic warfare. In a statement, Caracas said Trump was violating international law and the principle of free navigation, adding that Venezuela would raise the issue at the United Nations.

Speaking before Trump’s announcement, Maduro said the US was seeking to “colonise Venezuela” to seize its oil, gas and mineral wealth, and pledged to defend the country’s sovereignty. Venezuelan officials have also accused neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago of cooperating with the US during last week’s tanker seizure.

Washington insists the military campaign is aimed at stopping drugs reaching the United States. Since early September, US forces have carried out more than 20 strikes on boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing at least 95 people, according to official figures. The Pentagon has defended the strikes as lawful and effective, despite growing scrutiny from lawmakers.