Godsent Ogbebor
US Targets Venezuelan Oil Sector with Sanctions and Military Action
The US has escalated its pressure on Venezuela by sanctioning three of President Nicolás Maduro’s nephews and several entities linked to the country’s oil sector, amid rising tensions between the two nations.
The sanctions, which also target six shipping companies allegedly involved in moving Venezuelan oil, come after the US military seized an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast. The tanker had been implicated in an illicit oil shipping network allegedly supporting foreign terrorist organisations, including those in Venezuela and Iran. US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the tanker had been under sanction for several years due to its involvement in these activities.
Maduro condemned the seizure as an act of “criminal naval piracy” and filed a formal complaint with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Meanwhile, the US continues its crackdown on Venezuela’s oil sector, with the Trump administration emphasising the dual focus of combating drug trafficking and tightening sanctions against the regime.
This latest round of sanctions targets not only Venezuelan officials but also Panamanian businessmen and vessels suspected of deceptive shipping practices. The US has long accused the Venezuelan government of funnelling narcotics into the US, a claim that President Trump has repeatedly used to justify military action in the region.
