Trump threatens war on Venezuela and tightens oil embargo
In a new escalation of tensions between Washington and Caracas, US President Donald Trump kept the possibility of a military war on Venezuela on the table, coinciding with the intensification of his administration's maximum pressure campaign, which recently included imposing a crippling oil embargo on the Latin American country.
Trump's remarks came during an exclusive interview with NBC News, where he responded directly to a question about ruling out military action, saying unequivocally, "I don't rule it out, no." While he refrained from explicitly stating his desire to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, his language carried a veiled threat when he said, "He knows exactly what I want... He knows better than anybody," alluding to the ongoing pressure for regime change in Caracas.
Background to the conflict and Venezuelan oil
This escalation cannot be understood in isolation from the historical and economic context of relations between the two countries. Venezuela possesses the world's largest proven oil reserves, making it a strategic linchpin in the global energy market. Trump explicitly alluded to this economic dimension, accusing Venezuela of "stealing American oil," a clear reference to Venezuela's nationalization of its oil industry in previous years, which effectively excluded American companies from the energy equation there. Trump stated, "They took all our energy rights, they took all our oil, and we want it back.".
Militarization of the Caribbean and allegations of "drug terrorism"
On the ground, the United States has translated its threats into concrete military actions, with Washington bolstering its military presence in the Caribbean to an unprecedented degree in recent months. The US administration bases this buildup on accusations that the Maduro regime runs a "terrorist drug cartel" that threatens US national security.
In a related development, the US president confirmed the continuation of the policy of seizing oil tankers, noting that US forces had already taken control of a tanker that had sailed from Venezuela, and that other tankers would face the same fate. These actions follow a series of military operations carried out by US forces since last September against boats suspected of drug trafficking, resulting in the deaths of more than 100 people, indicating that the confrontation has moved beyond economic sanctions to limited ground engagements.
Potential regional and international repercussions
This threat of war raises widespread fears that Latin America could descend into military chaos, destabilizing the entire region. Any direct military intervention could trigger new waves of displacement and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, in addition to directly impacting global oil prices given Venezuela's position within OPEC. This escalation also puts international relations at risk, especially with other international powers closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela, making the military scenario fraught with complex geopolitical risks.
