In a dramatic escalation of pressure on Venezuela's socialist regime, United States forces have stormed and seized an oil tanker in the Caribbean, marking the sixth such vessel captured in recent weeks. The pre-dawn military operation represents a direct move by the Trump administration to throttle the geopolitical lifeline of the government in Caracas.
Dramatic Footage of the Raid
Video footage posted on social media platform X showed the intense moment of the seizure. US troops were seen rappelling from a helicopter onto the deck of the tanker named The Veronica. The operation, which took place on Thursday, was executed without incident, according to the US military command responsible for Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
The command stated on social media that "the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully." This action underscores a clear strategy to enforce sanctions and cut off vital revenue streams from the state-owned oil industry, which funds the government of Nicolás Maduro.
Political Manoeuvres in Washington and Caracas
The seizure comes as former President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House later today. Machado, who dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump last year, has publicly urged him to intensify the pressure campaign following the capture of Communist dictator Nicolás Maduro on January 3.
In an interview with CBS on Wednesday, Machado argued, "We need to increase the cost of staying in power by force. Once you arrive to that point in which the cost of staying in power is higher than the cost of leaving power, the regime will fall apart." Machado fled Venezuela last week, where Maduro's deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, now rules with Trump's endorsement—though under constant US threat.
Trump revealed he had a "great conversation" with Rodríguez, their first since Maduro was extradited to the US to face drug-trafficking charges. "We had a call, a long call. We discussed a lot of things," Trump said, adding, "And I think we're getting along very well with Venezuela."
A Tightrope Walk for Venezuela's Interim Leader
For her part, Delcy Rodríguez is navigating a precarious path. Tasked with placating an unpredictable former US president who has said he will "run" Venezuela, she must also consolidate power within a government deeply resentful of American interference. In her first public press conference since taking power, Rodríguez announced her government would continue releasing prisoners detained under Maduro's rule, describing it as "a new political moment."
Despite sanctioning her for human rights violations during his first term, Trump has now enlisted Rodríguez to help secure US control over Venezuela's oil sales. To ensure her compliance, Trump earlier this month threatened Rodríguez with a "situation probably worse than Maduro," who is currently held in a Brooklyn jail.
Concurrently in Washington, Senate Republicans voted to dismiss a war powers resolution on Wednesday that would have limited the president's ability to conduct further attacks on Venezuela. After Trump applied intense pressure, Senators Josh Hawley and Todd Young flipped their positions, leading to a 50-50 deadlock that required Vice President JD Vance to cast the deciding vote. This outcome highlighted Trump's enduring command over the Republican Party, while also revealing growing congressional concern over his aggressive foreign policy ambitions.
