THE GUARDIAN: Trump again called for Venezuela’s president to leave power and said the US would keep or sell the oil it had seized
China and Russia have expressed support for Venezuela as it confronts a US blockade of sanctioned oil tankers, while Donald Trump continues to ramp up his pressure campaign on the South American country’s president, Nicolás Maduro.
Amid reports of slowing activity at Venezuelan ports, the US president again called for Maduro to leave power, and reiterated that the US would keep or sell the oil it had seized off the coast of Venezuela in recent weeks.
Asked if the goal was to force Maduro from power, Trump told reporters: “I think it’d be smart for him to do that,” before adding “if he wants to do something, if he plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’s ever able to play tough.”
After Trump announced a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela last week, tanker loading at the country’s ports has slowed, with most ships moving oil cargoes only between domestic ports, according to the Reuters news agency. The number of loaded tankers that have not departed has increased in recent days, leaving millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil stuck on board ships, while customers demand deeper discounts and contract changes to take risky voyages beyond the country’s waters.
China’s foreign ministry said on Monday that the seizure of another country’s ships was a serious violation of international law, after the US intercepted a China-bound oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast on Saturday. » | Guardian staff and agencies | Tuesday, December 23, 2025
