Name: Trump says U.S. armada has Venezuela surrounded
Uploaded: 2025-12-22T19:02:25.908Z
Duration: 2 min
Description: President Donald Trump has labeled Nicolás Maduro’s government a foreign terrorist organization, imposed a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers, and warned of a stronger U.S. military presence in the region.

President Donald Trump has labeled Nicolás Maduro’s government a foreign terrorist organization, imposed a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers, and warned of a stronger U.S. military presence in the region.

The United States has increased its military presence off the coast of Venezuela, with President Donald Trump stating that the country is surrounded by U.S. forces. This move follows the seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker and is linked to longstanding disputes over Venezuela's nationalization of oil projects, which affected major U.S. companies.

China has condemned the U.S. operation, calling it a violation of international law and expressing support for Venezuela's sovereignty. Trade between the U.S. and Venezuela has sharply declined since 2008 due to sanctions, and Trump has indicated the military buildup will continue until compensation issues are resolved.

Trump says U.S. armada has Venezuela surrounded

The U.S. operation off the coast of Venezuela is ruffling feathers thousands of miles away in a country where allegedly most of Venezuelan oil exports end up, China. The arbitrary detention of vessels from other nations by the U.S. is a serious violation of international law. China opposes any actions that violate the principles of the U.N. Charter and infringe on the sovereignty and security of other countries. Venezuela has the right to develop independently and engage in mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries. China understands and supports Venezuela's stance in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests. Since the U.S. military seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela earlier this month, oil-laden vessels have reportedly remained in Venezuelan waters to avoid being seized. U.S. President Donald Trump alleges that Venezuela has been using oil revenues to fund drug trafficking and other crimes. The U.S. imposed targeted sanctions against Venezuela in 2008, citing concerns about terrorism and illicit financing. Since then, sanctions have been tightened. For Trump, the military operation is linked to the nationalization of Venezuelan oil projects in 2007 under Hugo Chavez, Venezuelan President Maduro's predecessor. That move hit U.S. oil giants ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips and led to years of disputes over compensation. And trade between the U.S. and Venezuela has tumbled 80 percent since 2008 as a result. Now the U.S. military has surrounded the coast of the South American country, according to President Trump, who says the military buildup will grow until the disputed compensation is returned.

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