BREAKING: Trump Orders Blockade Of Sanctioned Venezuelan Oil Tankers
President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the United States has enacted a full blockade on sanctioned oil tankers leaving Venezuela, marking a major escalation following months of tensions with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro’s regime.
“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America. It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before — Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“The illegitimate Maduro Regime is using Oil from these stolen Oil Fields to finance themselves, Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Murder, and Kidnapping. For the theft of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.”
The president then announced that effective today, December 16, 2025, he would be ordering a “total and complete blockade” of all oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
“The Illegal Aliens and Criminals that the Maduro Regime has sent into the United States during the weak and inept Biden Administration, are being returned to Venezuela at a rapid pace. America will not allow Criminals, Terrorists, or other Countries, to rob, threaten, or harm our Nation and, likewise, will not allow a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, all of which must be returned to the United States, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump continued. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The USS Gerald Ford has been spearheading a U.S. armada in the Caribbean for the past several weeks
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ridge Leoni
The U.S. military’s involvement in the region traces back to early September 2025, when Operation Southern Spear commenced under U.S. Southern Command. To date, more than 20 strikes have targeted vessels suspected of narcotics smuggling originating from Venezuelan ports, resulting in dozens of fatalities.
Complementing these operations is a substantial U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, the most extensive since the 1980s. Assets include the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, seven warships, a nuclear submarine, F-35 jets, B-52 bombers, and roughly 10,000 personnel stationed in Puerto Rico, Florida, and partner locations. This deployment, ramped up since August, aims to sever fentanyl and cocaine supply chains into the U.S., according to War Department press releases.
Central to the U.S. position are indictments against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and 14 associates, initiated in 2020, for narco-terrorism. Authorities allege Maduro leads the “Cartel de los Soles,” a syndicate involving military and officials that collaborates with Colombia’s leftist guerilla organization FARC to transport multi-ton cocaine shipments to the U.S.
The organization and related groups are also involved in human smuggling, money laundering and arms trafficking, prosecutors allege. The State Department is currently offering a $50 million bounty for Maduro’s capture, elevated from $15 million, asserting the network has enabled two decades of drug flows.
This past summer, the Treasury Department labeled Cartel de los Soles a Specially Designated Global Terrorist with the State Department following suit on November 24 by designating it a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This status extends to groups like Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan transnational criminal outfit.
Consequences include U.S. asset freezes, bans on material support, secondary sanctions on enablers, and immigration restrictions under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Despite escalating tensions, Trump has still left the door open to a diplomatic solution for Maduro’s regime.
During a November 21 call with the Venezuelan dictator, Trump offered safe haven for Maduro and his family should he resign immediately. According to a report from the Miami Herald, Maduro sought global amnesty and sanctions easing, which were declined.