U.S. President Donald Trump said it would be "smart" for Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to leave power. He issued the warning as American forces seized Venezuelan oil tankers.
Trump made the comments at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Monday. He was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. When asked if his goal was to force Maduro out, Trump replied, "Well, I think it probably would." He added, "I think it'd be smart for him to do that.".
The U.S. president warned Maduro against resisting. "If he plays tough, it'll be the last time he's ever able to play tough," Trump said.
U.S. Seizes Oil and Pursues Tanker
The warning comes during a major U.S.military and economic campaign. The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing a third oil tanker, the Bella 1, off Venezuela's coast. American forces have already seized two other tankers this month.
The seized ships held nearly four million barrels of oil. Trump said the U.S. would keep both the oil and the vessels. "Maybe we'll sell it. Maybe we'll keep it. Maybe we will use it in the strategic reserves," he stated.
The U.S. government calls this a "blockade" of sanctioned tankers. Officials accuse Venezuela of using a "dark fleet" to evade sanctions and fund crime. Venezuela condemns the seizures as acts of "international piracy".
Military Buildup and Strikes
The U.S.has built up a large military force in the region. The Pentagon has sent about 15,000 troops and a dozen warships to the Caribbean. This includes the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.
U.S. forces have also carried out over two dozen strikes on boats. The U.S. says these vessels were suspected of drug trafficking. These strikes have killed more than 100 people. The U.S. military reported another strike on Monday that killed one person.
Trump has not ruled out expanding these operations to land targets or the possibility of war.
Maduro responded to Trump in a televised address.He said the U.S. president should focus on his own country's problems. "He would be better off in his own country on economic and social issues," Maduro said.
Venezuela's foreign minister, Yvan Gil, read a letter from Maduro to the United Nations. It warned that the U.S. blockade would disrupt global oil supplies.
Russia and China strongly criticized the U.S. actions. Russia's foreign minister expressed "deep concern" and reaffirmed support for Venezuela. China said the U.S. moves were a "serious violation of international law".
Both countries backed Venezuela's request for a United Nations Security Council meeting. The meeting is set for Tuesday to discuss the crisis.
The tension is the latest in a long-standing political and economic conflict.The U.S. does not recognize Maduro's 2024 re-election as legitimate. International observers found that election lacked transparency.
Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves, but its economy has collapsed. Most of its population now lives in poverty. The U.S. has imposed strict sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector for years.
The Trump administration has designated Maduro's government a foreign terrorist organization. It has also doubled the reward for information leading to his capture.