U.S. Declares Venezuela a ‘Terrorist’ Government, Implements Oil Tanker Blockade

President Donald Trump has initiated a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela to amplify pressure on President Nicolás Maduro’s government, primarily targeting the nation’s main revenue source oil exports. This blockade will persist until Venezuela returns assets claimed by the U.S., including oil and land seized earlier.

The U.S. administration has also classified the Venezuelan government as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, citing activities such as asset theft, terrorism, drug trafficking, and human trafficking, which reflects its strong disapproval of the Maduro regime’s actions.

On December 15, 2025, Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, reported a cyber it attributed to the U.S. and domestic allies. Although PDVSA insisted operations continued unaffected, internal sources indicated that oil cargo deliveries experienced disruptions, further straining U.S. and Venezuelan relations.

Concurrently, the U.S. military has taken an aggressive role in the region, including the seizure of the oil tanker “Skipper” near Venezuela’s coast on December 10, 2025, as part of its strategy to enforce sanctions and disrupt illicit oil trading.

Amid these developments, Venezuela condemned the U.S. blockade as a breach of international law, vowing to escalate the issue to the United Nations. The Venezuelan government characterized the U.S. demands as imperialist and raised alarms regarding potential impacts on global oil prices.

The international community remains vigilant, expressing concerns about the escalating tensions and their possible ramifications for both regional ility and global oil markets.