Venezuela condemns US oil tanker blockade order
Venezuela has strongly criticized a new directive by US President Donald Trump ordering a sweeping blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country, describing the move as a dangerous escalation and an act of “warmongering.” The announcement follows the recent seizure by US forces of an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, a development that has heightened tensions given the country’s heavy dependence on oil exports. Caracas argues that Washington is deliberately targeting its main economic lifeline. In a statement published on his Truth Social platform, President Trump said the Venezuelan government had been designated a foreign terrorist organization. He accused the administration of President Nicolás Maduro of involvement in drug trafficking and human trafficking, allegations that Venezuelan authorities firmly reject. Trump also claimed that Venezuela was now surrounded by an unprecedented naval force, warning that the US military […]