Trump’s warships seize Venezuelan oil tanker sparking blockade fears: ‘Serious escalation’

Donald Trump‘s pressure campaign against Venezuela has escalated after the administration seized an oil tanker off the coast of the Latin American country.

The operation was carried out by US Coast Guard forces officials revealed on Wednesday amid a massive American Naval build-up in the region. 

Officials did not say the precisely where the operation was carried out and the name of the oil tanker is not named. 

The Daily Mail reached out to White House for comment. 

Venezuela is one of the largest suppliers of oil to China, which has been the destination of between 55% and 90% of the country’s oil exports. 

This week’s seizure marks the first time the Trump administration has moved to interfere with the country’s oil distribution amid the hostile pressure campaign.

A Bloomberg report called the move ‘a serious escalation’ after Trump demanded Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro step down.