Nicolas Maduro is daring the U.S. to act. Hours after Trump announced a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, the Venezuelan Navy began escorting vessels out of the country, according to ship-tracking data and sources familiar with the matter. Several ships carrying oil byproducts sailed from Venezuela’s east coast between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning with military escorts, bound for Asian markets. Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA issued a defiant statement: Ships are continuing to sail “with full security, technical support and operational guarantees in legitimate exercise of their right to free navigation.” A U.S. official said Washington is aware of the escorts and “considering various courses of action” but declined to provide details. It’s not clear whether these specific ships are on the U.S. sanctions list. Roughly 40% of tankers that have transported Venezuelan crude in recent years are under U.S. sanctions. Maduro has vowed to keep oil exports flowing “at all cost.” U.S. officials have privately indicated additional tanker seizures may be coming. This sets up a potential confrontation between American and Venezuelan naval forces in the Caribbean, just as Trump prepares to address the nation.
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