U.S. Ramps Up Sanctions on Venezuelan Oil Tankers Amid Military Buildup

The United States has intensified sanctions against Venezuela, focusing on relatives of President Maduro's wife, along with crude oil tankers and linked shipping firms, as part of pressure to oust Maduro. The U.S. also seized a sanctioned oil tanker, increasing military presence in the southern Caribbean.

The United States escalated sanctions on Thursday against Venezuela by targeting three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife. The move extends to six crude oil tankers and related shipping firms, marking a significant pressure tactic by Washington against Caracas.

The sanctions are part of a broader strategy accompanied by a large-scale U.S. military buildup in the southern Caribbean, as the U.S. administration under Donald Trump continues to advocate for Maduro's removal. In a recent development, Trump confirmed the seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker near Venezuela's coast, reinforcing the pressure campaign.

The targeted vessels, as per internal documents from state oil company PDVSA, are supertankers which recently loaded crude in Venezuela. The sanctions also affected Franqui Flores and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, relatives of the Venezuelan first lady, known as the 'narco nephews' from previous narcotics convictions. The Venezuelan government has not commented on the situation.