A Venezuelan flag in La Guaira, Vargas State, Venezuela, on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025.
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U.S. forces have seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump mentioned Wednesday.
“We have simply seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela,” Trump mentioned on the White Home
U.S. crude oil was up 28 cents, or 0.48%, at $58.53 per barrel. International benchmark Brent rose 31 cents, or 0.5%, to $62.25 a barrel.
Trump has escalated strain on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in latest weeks. The president mentioned Maduro’s “days are numbered” in an interview with Politico printed Tuesday. He wouldn’t rule out a floor invasion of the South American nation.
“I do not need to rule in or out. I do not discuss it,” Trump advised Politico.
The White Home has undertaken a big navy buildup within the Caribbean and launched controversial, lethal strikes in opposition to boats that it claims had been trafficking medication to the U.S.
Venezuela is a founding member of OPEC and has the biggest confirmed oil reserves on the earth. It’s exporting about 749,000 barrels per day this yr with at the least half that oil going to China, in keeping with information from power consulting agency Kpler.
Venezuela exports about 132,000 bpd to the U.S., in keeping with Kpler.
“Shippers will doubtless be way more cautious and hesitant about loading Venezuelan crude going ahead,” mentioned Matt Smith, an oil analyst at Kpler.