The administration of US President Donald Trump has officially designated Venezuela’s current government as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), sharply escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas and marking one of the most severe measures taken against the South American country in recent years.

In a series of statements posted on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump accused the Venezuelan government of involvement in terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and the alleged theft of US assets. He also announced a sweeping maritime blockade targeting Venezuela’s oil trade.

“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.

The US president further claimed that Venezuela is now “completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” warning that pressure would intensify unless Caracas returned what he described as stolen “oil, land, and other assets.”

As part of the new measures, Trump declared a “total and complete” blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. The move is aimed at further restricting the Maduro government’s access to revenue from oil exports, which remain the backbone of the Venezuelan economy.

The announcement represents a significant escalation beyond existing US sanctions, effectively threatening any maritime traffic linked to Venezuelan oil with interception.

In response, Venezuela has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations, demanding the immediate release of a detained ship’s crew and the return of an oil shipment seized by the United States.

In a letter dated December 16 and addressed to the president of the UN Security Council, Caracas described the incident as an act of “state piracy” carried out on the high seas and a serious violation of international law.

The letter, signed by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil, accuses the US military of boarding a private vessel in the Caribbean on December 10, seizing a cargo of Venezuelan oil, and detaining the ship’s crew, whose whereabouts remain unknown.

According to the Venezuelan government, the shipment was part of a lawful international commercial operation and was intercepted without any authorization from the UN Security Council.

Venezuela warned that such actions pose a threat not only to its national sovereignty but also to global maritime order and international trade norms. The government called on the UN Security Council to intervene, ensure the crew’s release, and demand the return of the seized oil.

The developments further deepen the standoff between Washington and Caracas, raising concerns among international observers about the potential for wider regional instability and disruptions to global energy markets. (ILKHA)