Trump designates Venezuela regime a foreign terrorist organization, orders oil blockade

Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald on Dec 16, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

President Donald Trump on Tuesday designated the government of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro a foreign terrorist organization and ordered “a total and complete” blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers moving in and out of the South American country.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that the “illegitimate Maduro Regime” stole oil, land and other assets from the United States and is using the stolen fields to finance drug trafficking, terrorism, human trafficking, murder and kidnapping.

“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,” he wrote.

Venezuela, he added, “is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America.”

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, responding to the president in a post of his own on X, said “a naval blockade is unquestionably an act of war.”

“A war that the Congress never authorized and the American people do not want,” he wrote.

On Thursday, the House will vote on a resolution he co-sponsored with others directing Trump to end hostilities with Venezuela.

“Every member of the House of Representatives will have the opportunity to decide if they support sending Americans into yet another regime-change war,” he said.

Last week the U.S. seized an oil tanker as it was leaving Venezuela. The administration said the ship was under U.S. sanctions.

_____