Trump orders blockade against Venezuela, surrounds country with 'largest armada'

President Donald Trump ordered a “total and complete” blockade of oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela and designated Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s regime as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on Tuesday.

In a Tuesday statement on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “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 accused Maduro’s regime in Venezuela of using oil from “stolen Oil Fields” to finance human trafficking, drug terrorism, kidnapping, and murder.

Trump continued, “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.”

“Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” the president added. 

Trump emphasized in Tuesday’s Truth Social post that the Venezuelan criminals and illegal immigrants that entered the United States during former President Joe Biden’s administration are being sent back to the South American country “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 stated.

Trump’s blockade against Venezuela comes as the U.S. military continues to execute strikes against drug trafficking vessels near the South American nation as part of the Trump administration’s effort to prevent illegal drugs from pouring into the United States. Fox News reported that the Trump administration has carried out at least 22 strikes against narco-traffickers since September, leaving 87 suspected narco-traffickers dead. 

Last week, Trump confirmed that the United States had seized a Venezuelan oil tanker called the “Skipper.” Reuters reported that the Skipper had been transporting roughly 1.8 million barrels of oil before transferring approximately 200,000 barrels just prior to its seizure by the Trump administration.