According to DW, Trump cited the actions of the Venezuelan regime as the reason for this decision, including "asset theft, terrorism, drug smuggling, and human trafficking." Washington has officially recognized Nicolás Maduro's regime as terrorist.
Trump emphasized that the "illegal regime" uses oil from "stolen fields" to finance its criminal activities related to drug terrorism, murders, and kidnappings. He also added that the U.S. will increase its military presence in the area of Venezuela until the country returns "oil, land, and other stolen assets."
Recently, tensions between Washington and Caracas escalated after U.S. military personnel seized a Venezuelan oil tanker off the country's coast.
As a result of this incident, buyers of Venezuelan oil, including Chinese refineries, have begun demanding more favorable terms and larger discounts from the state oil company PDVSA, as reported by Reuters, citing traders' opinions and other sources.
Caracas characterized the seizure of the tanker as "a blatant robbery and an act of international piracy." Venezuelan authorities claim that this case "reveals the true motives" of U.S. policy, emphasizing that it is not about migration, drug trafficking, or human rights, but about the desire to seize Venezuela's natural resources, including oil and energy resources.
Photo on the main page: U.S. military ships in the Caribbean Sea. Photo by Gladjimi Balisage / U.S. Navy / UPI Photo / Newscom /picture alliance.
