The United States has increased its actions against Venezuela. It is stopping oil tankers in its waters. This makes it harder for President Maduro's government to get money. The US government called it a "total and complete" stop. This is a big change. It aims to hurt Venezuela's oil business. It also wants to isolate Venezuela's leaders.
The US has sent many ships to the area. President Trump said it is the "largest Armada ever." This fleet is officially fighting drug smugglers. However, US forces have reportedly attacked boats. Many people have died. These actions and the oil tanker seizures show a strong strategy. Venezuela has called these actions "warmongering threats." They also called it "international piracy."
A US official said Venezuela's oil industry is like American property. This is because US companies helped build it long ago. Venezuela took control of its oil in 1976. The US official sees this as taking American money. The US believes Venezuela uses oil money for bad things. These include terrorism and trafficking.
President Trump has also called Venezuela's government a terrorist group. Sanctions were put on Venezuela's oil company in 2019. These measures try to stop Venezuela from selling oil. It is not clear how well these actions are working. Venezuela's oil exports are very important. They are now having big problems.
In the US, lawmakers have discussed these actions. They have not limited President Trump's power. This gives him more freedom. These actions are a big moment for US-Venezuela relations. They could affect the region. They also affect Venezuela's oil industry.