Trump Intensifies Pressure on Venezuela, Targets Maduro’s Nephews and Oil Tankers

Washington: The United States has intensified its pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by imposing new sanctions on members of his family and associated entities. The latest measures specifically target three of Maduro’s nephews, six crude oil tankers, and the shipping companies linked to them.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced the seizure of a restricted oil tanker near Venezuelan waters. The sanctions list also includes Panamanian businessman Ramón Carretero, accused of transporting Venezuelan oil. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, Carretero has conducted business dealings with the Maduro-Flores family, assisting the Venezuelan government in oil shipments.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury issued the sanctions list on Thursday. The restrictions prevent those targeted from accessing any property or financial assets within the United States.

Allegations of Drug Trafficking
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that Nicolás Maduro and his criminal associates in Venezuela are flooding the United States with drugs, endangering American citizens. Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. Treasury continues to hold Maduro, his associates, and associated companies accountable for criminal activities.

This is not the first time Maduro’s family has faced punitive action from the U.S. In October 2022, Venezuela released several Americans imprisoned for seven years, in exchange for the U.S. freeing Flores and Campos, who had been serving long sentences for drug offenses. Flores and Campos were initially arrested in 2015 in a DEA sting operation in Haiti and later convicted in a New York court.