Washington: US President Donald Trump has not dismissed the potential for military intervention in Venezuela, as tensions between the two nations continue to intensify. In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump stated, "I don't rule it out, no," when questioned about the possibility of escalating US operations leading to conflict.
According to Anadolu Agency, Trump's comments come amidst a significant increase in US pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government. This includes the recent seizure of a large oil tanker, as well as Trump's directive for a "total and complete blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. So far, US forces have commandeered one Venezuelan-linked oil tanker, the Skipper, which was transporting approximately 1.8-2 million barrels of heavy crude.
The operation, executed on December 10 in the Caribbean Sea, involved armed personnel who descended from helicopters onto the vessel. The tanker, previously sanctioned due to its connections with illicit oil networks involving Iran and Venezuela, was subsequently redirected to a US port. Trump announced the blockade via Truth Social, declaring that Venezuela is "completely surrounded by the largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America."
In a dramatic escalation, Trump has labeled the Maduro regime as a foreign terrorist organization, accusing it of financing drug trafficking, human trafficking, and the theft of US assets. He has further demanded the return of Venezuelan oil, land, and other resources to the United States. These actions have significantly disrupted Venezuelan oil exports, with many tankers remaining docked to avoid seizure.
Analysts estimate that the blockade affects approximately 300,000 barrels per day of Venezuela's roughly 900,000 barrels daily exports. This has contributed to a modest increase in global oil prices, with Brent crude climbing over 1% to around $60 per barrel this week due to concerns over supply disruptions.
Venezuela has condemned these US actions as "international piracy" and "blatant theft," sending a formal letter to the UN Security Council to denounce the tanker seizure and calling for international condemnation. During his 2024 campaign, Trump has positioned himself as a leader who ends wars rather than initiates them, appealing to Republican voters wary of foreign entanglements-a key sentiment within the party following the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
However, his recent measures against Venezuela signify a notable escalation, framing the campaign primarily as a counter-narcotics initiative aimed at stopping alleged drug flows into the US, while also applying economic pressure on Maduro's oil-dependent regime. The US has amassed a significant naval presence in the region, including aircraft carriers and over a dozen warships, supporting operations that have involved deadly strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels.
Critics, including some Democrats and a few Republicans, have expressed concerns that these measures could potentially draw the US into an unauthorized conflict, with oil prices showing initial volatility as markets evaluate the possible broader supply impacts.