The Venezuelan government has sharply criticised a newly announced US oil blockade, describing it as “utterly irrational” and a direct threat to the country’s economic survival.
In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, the government of President Nicolás Maduro accused US President Donald Trump of seeking to unlawfully seize Venezuela’s national resources through coercive measures.
“The President of the United States intends to impose, in an utterly irrational manner, a so-called naval blockade against Venezuela, with the objective of stealing the riches that belong to our homeland,” the statement said.
President Trump earlier announced a blockade targeting “sanctioned oil vessels” entering or leaving Venezuelan ports, a move that significantly escalates Washington’s pressure campaign against Caracas.
The announcement was accompanied by renewed US demands for access to Venezuela’s vast crude oil reserves.
The blockade, if fully enforced, could further cripple Venezuela’s already fragile economy, which depends heavily on oil exports for foreign revenue.
While the United States has justified its expanding military presence in the Caribbean as part of efforts to combat drug trafficking in Latin America, the Venezuelan government argues that the deployment has been increasingly focused on isolating and destabilising Caracas.
Officials in Venezuela warned that the blockade represents a dangerous provocation and a violation of international norms, vowing to resist what they described as economic aggression and external interference in the country’s sovereignty.
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