The remarks come amid a widening US campaign against Venezuela’s oil trade, which Washington says funds drug-related crime
US President Donald Trump has said Washington plans to either retain or sell crude oil seized from tankers off the coast of Venezuela, along with the vessels themselves, as the administration steps up pressure on President
Nicolás Maduro to leave office.
Speaking to reporters in Florida on Monday, Trump was blunt about the fate of the oil. “We’re going to keep it,” he said, adding, “Maybe we will sell it, maybe we will keep it. Maybe we’ll use it in the Strategic Reserves. We’re keeping the ships also.”
Oil seizures tied to pressure on Maduro
The remarks come amid a widening US campaign against Venezuela’s oil trade, which Washington says funds drug-related crime. Caracas, however, has condemned the seizures as “piracy” and accused the US of economic warfare.
So far this month, the US military has seized two oil tankers, including one intercepted on Saturday. Meanwhile, the US Coast Guard is continuing to pursue a third vessel that authorities describe as part of a Venezuelan “dark fleet” used to evade American sanctions.
“It’s moving along, and we’ll end up getting it,” Trump said, referring to the tanker still being tracked.
Military action expands at sea
Separately on Monday, the US military said it carried out a
strike on what it described as a suspected trafficking vessel in international waters in the eastern Pacific. US Southern Command said one person was killed in the operation.
Asked whether the tanker seizures were meant to push Maduro from power, Trump replied: “Well, I think it probably would… That’s up to him what he wants to do. I think it’d be smart for him to do that. But again, we’re gonna find out.”
The US has increased its military presence across the Pacific and Caribbean and has carried out deadly strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling boats, killing around 100 people. The military has not publicly presented evidence the vessels were carrying drugs, prompting scrutiny from Congress.
On Monday, Trump said the campaign would expand further.
“We’ll be starting the same programme on land. If they want to come by land, they’re going to end up having a big problem. They’re going to get blown to pieces, because we don’t want our people poisoned, ” the US President said.
Maduro hits back
Maduro responded on state television, saying Trump “would be better off in his own country dealing with economic and social issues and the world would be better off if he focused on his own country’s affairs.”
Since returning to office in January, Trump has doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture, designated his government a foreign terrorist organisation, and ordered a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers. Venezuela has asked the UN Security Council to hold an emergency session on Tuesday over what it calls “ongoing US aggression.”
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