US Forces Intensify Action on Venezuelan Oil Amid Tension

US forces stopped an oil tanker near Venezuela, escalating tensions with President Maduro's government. The move follows Trump's blockade announcement and increased pressure over US investments and alleged drug smuggling. Venezuela condemns these actions, while the US justifies them as part of an anti-narcotics campaign.

In a bold move, US forces halted an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast, marking the second such action in recent weeks as President Donald Trump's administration intensifies pressure on Nicolás Maduro's leadership.

The operation aligns with Trump's recent announcement to blockade sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela and follows earlier seizures, raising tensions with Maduro's government, which has decried these actions as unjust and vowed legal retaliation.

While the US frames its actions as necessary to curb alleged narcoterrorism and reclaim lost investment stakes in Venezuela, critics argue that the measures escalate conflicts and lack transparency regarding their effectiveness against smuggling operations.