US Military Seizes Venezuelan Oil Tanker Amid Escalating Diplomatic Tensions Between Nations

Dec 11, 2025 12:29 pm CST

The United States has seized a major oil tanker off Venezuela's coast in a military operation, escalating tensions between the nations. President Trump announced the seizure while Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Prize winner Maria Corina Machado prepares to address the world after months in hiding. The action comes amid a significant US naval presence in the Caribbean and accusations of illegitimate leadership against President Nicolas Maduro.