“Total blockade”
Trump is threatening to invade this country
Updated 12/17/2025 – 4:48 a.mReading time: 3 minutes
The USA seems to want to escalate the situation in Venezuela. Trump orders a blockade – and at the same time threatens the country with ground troops.
Donald Trump has ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela and has designated the country’s government a terrorist organization. The price of oil then rose. US WTI crude oil rose in price on Wednesday by 1.3 percent to $55.99 per barrel. It was initially unclear how the US government planned to enforce the blockade. However, in recent months it has deployed thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships, including an aircraft carrier, to the region.
“Because of the theft of our assets and for many other reasons, including terrorism, drug smuggling and human trafficking, the Venezuelan regime has been declared a foreign terrorist organization,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday. “I am ordering a COMPLETE AND TOTAL BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS (Note: Typography in the original) entering and leaving Venezuela.”
He also threatened to begin US ground operations in the South American country soon. Trump’s previous campaign in the region has already included more than two dozen military strikes on ships, killing at least 90 people.
After the seizure of a tanker by the USA the previous week, a de facto naval blockade had arisen. Ships loaded with millions of dollars’ worth of oil remained in Venezuelan waters to avoid the risk of being seized as well. The Venezuelan government then spoke of “brazen theft” and described the seizure of the oil tanker by US forces as an “act of international piracy”.
Venezuela’s oil customers, including Chinese refiners, are demanding higher discounts because of the increased risk. According to insiders, discounts for the main Venezuelan variety Merey for deliveries to China have widened to up to $21 per barrel below the reference price for the North Sea Brent variety.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the US of wanting to colonize his country in order to seize its oil, gas and gold wealth. He accuses the US government of wanting to use its military presence to bring about a coup in order to gain control of the world’s largest oil reserves. Maduro accuses “imperialism” and the “fascist right” of wanting to colonize his country. “We have solemnly sworn to defend our homeland and peace will prevail in Venezuela,” he said in a speech in Caracas on Tuesday.
