An oil tanker sails on Lake Maracaibo, in Cabimas, Venezuela October 14, 2022. REUTERS/Issac Urrutia

Trump orders blockade of sanctioned oil tankers leaving, entering Venezuela

· The Straits Times

WASHINGTON, Dec 16 - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered "a ‍total ​and complete" blockade ‍of all sanctioned oil tankers ​entering ​and leaving Venezuela. 

"For the theft of our Assets, and many ‍other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug ​Smuggling, and ⁠Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION," ​Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"Therefore, today, ‌I am ordering ​A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela."

Trump's comments came a ‍week after the United States ​seized a sanctioned oil tanker ​off the coast of ‌Venezuela. REUTERS