On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced a full blockade of all oil tankers that are under sanctions, entering or leaving Venezuela. He labeled the Maduro government as a "foreign terrorist organization" and insisted on getting back what he described as stolen U.S. oil assets.

This announcement comes after the U.S. seized a tanker named Skipper last week. This was the first time a Venezuelan oil shipment has been intercepted since the U.S. imposed sanctions in 2019. Additionally, Trump mentioned that the U.S. is gathering what he referred to as "the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America" around Venezuela.

Trump stated on social media, "Today, I am ordering a COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into and out of Venezuela."

The blockade will focus on Venezuela's extensive "dark fleet" of nearly 400 active tankers that transport sanctioned oil to China and other buyers, according to TankerTrackers.com. As of Trump's announcement, only 40% of these ships are currently under U.S. sanctions, the company reported.

Trump's statement added, "America will not permit Criminals, Terrorists, or other Countries to rob, threaten, or harm our Nation. We will also not allow a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, which must be returned to the United States IMMEDIATELY."

The Skipper, which had previously been sanctioned for trading oil with Iran, is expected to head to a U.S. port where legal action will be taken to seize its cargo. On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury also sanctioned six more supertankers that had recently loaded crude oil in Venezuela.

This announcement brings up significant legal questions under international law.

In recent months, Trump has overseen a growing U.S. military presence in the southern Caribbean. This includes deploying more naval and Coast Guard resources to the waters around Venezuela as part of heightened counter-narcotics operations.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated that the administration will continue to enforce its sanctions policies, saying, "We will not stand by and let sanctioned vessels sail with black market oil, which fuels narcoterrorism from rogue regimes worldwide."

A reduction in Venezuelan oil exports, which is the main revenue source for Maduro's government, would put financial pressure on the regime during a time when Trump is actively seeking to remove him from power.

This recent action represents a significant escalation in U.S. maritime law enforcement. In recent months, there have been over 20 strikes on suspected drug vessels, resulting in more than 80 fatalities. Maduro has claimed that the military buildup is an attempt to overthrow his government and take control of Venezuela's oil resources.