Venezuela engages fleet to escort tankers amid US blockade threats
The Venezuelan government has ordered the deployment of naval forces to escort ships transporting oil products from the country's ports. This was a response to US President Donald Trump's announcement of a blockade against the Venezuelan oil industry. It is reported by The Public with reference to the NYT.
According to media reports, several tankers left the east coast of Venezuela from Tuesday evening to Wednesday morning, accompanied by warships. The move significantly increases the risk of a direct confrontation between Caracas and Washington.
Some of the vessels that received military escort are not currently on the official list of tankers under US sanctions. Therefore, it remains unclear whether they will be subject to Trump's blockade.
The White House confirmed that it was aware of Venezuela's actions. An anonymous US official said that Washington is considering various options for responding, but did not disclose details.
Earlier, Donald Trump said that the US would focus on oil tankers that Washington believes violate US sanctions. He also emphasised that he was seeking to regain control of Venezuelan oil, saying that US companies had lost their rights and access to the fields.
Venezuela remains one of the world's largest oil-producing countries, and oil exports are a key source of foreign exchange earnings for its economy, which has been under severe US sanctions pressure for several years now.
