Venezuela threatens to “defend the homeland at any cost”… Navy escorts oil tankers!

🛢️ Venezuela threatens to “defend the homeland at any cost”… Navy escorts oil tankers!

In a direct response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of imposing a “naval blockade” on tankers subject to U.S. sanctions traveling to or from Venezuelan ports, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López declared:

“We will protect the homeland at any cost… and we will not submit to any rude or arrogant threat.”

López stated that the blockade violates the United Nations Charter, describing it as a “clear act of aggression,” and warned that any U.S. attempt to intercept a tanker escorted by the Venezuelan navy could lead to a direct military confrontation.

🌊 What is happening on the ground?

• The Venezuelan navy has already begun escorting oil tankers departing from its ports.

• According to the Associated Press, around 30 tankers under U.S. sanctions are currently sailing near Venezuelan shores.

• These tankers have carried 18% of Venezuela’s international exports this year, highlighting the country’s heavy reliance on non-traditional channels to export oil.

🗣️ A unified official stance:

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez reaffirmed that her country:

“Reasserts its full sovereignty over its natural resources, and its right to free navigation and free trade in the Caribbean Sea and the world’s oceans.”

She accused Washington of having a “real intention to seize Venezuela’s oil, land, and minerals through disinformation campaigns and media maneuvers,” pointing as well to “widespread popular protests within the United States itself against these policies.”

Venezuelan state media have also recently broadcast footage of coastal military drills, sending a clear message about the “readiness of the armed forces.”

🔍 Geopolitical context:

• This escalation comes amid a renewed expansion of U.S. influence in Latin America under the Trump administration.

• Oil- and gold-rich Venezuela is considered a strategic target in the broader power struggle with Russia and China, both of which have supported Caracas for years.

• Imposing a “naval blockade” is an exceptional step—one that evokes memories of Cold War-era tactics used against Cuba, but now within an era of complex economic sanctions.

📌 Conclusion:

Between Washington’s threats to “cut off Venezuela’s oil lifelines” and Caracas’s promises to “fight to the end,” the region is entering a dangerous phase of undeclared confrontation in Caribbean sea lanes—where oil is not just a commodity, but a weapon.

References

1. Statements by Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, reported by Venezuelan state media.

2. Remarks by Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, official government communications.

3. Associated Press (AP) reporting on sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers and export data.

4. United Nations Charter, provisions on sovereignty and the use of force.

5. Coverage and analysis from international media on U.S. sanctions policy toward Venezuela.