Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro reaffirmed the country’s commitment to ongoing oil trading on Wednesday, just a day after President Donald Trump threatened to impose a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers entering and exiting Venezuela. Speaking at a press conference, Maduro proclaimed, “Trade will persist—our oil and natural resources, which rightfully belong to the Venezuelan people, will continue to flow.”
Maduro accused Trump of seeking regime change in Venezuela, asserting that such a plan would be futile. “This will never happen. Venezuela will not become a colony of anyone,” he declared. The comments came in reaction to Trump’s announcement of a “blockade” aimed at increasing pressure on Maduro’s administration, with the U.S. President claiming that Venezuela was surrounded by the largest naval fleet ever assembled in South America.
Trump’s statement included a call for the return of what he described as stolen oil and assets, referencing the Venezuelan government’s nationalization of American oil company assets during Hugo Chávez’s presidency. The Venezuelan government responded robustly, labeling Trump’s declaration a “serious threat” to international law and free trade. They stated, “The U.S. President aims to impose a military blockade on Venezuela irrationally, intending to seize our homeland’s wealth.”
The backdrop of these tensions includes the U.S. military’s increased maritime presence in the Caribbean, with 11 warships currently deployed. Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department recently sanctioned six additional tankers and several shipping companies allegedly involved in transporting Venezuelan crude oil. While Trump’s heightened military stance raises concerns about potential escalation, Maduro condemned recent tanker seizures by the U.S. as “acts of international piracy,” emphasizing that Venezuela possesses the largest oil reserves in the world and remains determined to defend its resources.
SOURCE: ABC NEWS
