События

President Donald Trump said Monday the United States had hit and destroyed a docking area for alleged Venezuela drug-running boats - in what could amount to the first land strike of the military campaign to counter narcotics trafficking from Latin America

Trump administration officials reportedly describe the boat strikes as "Phase One," led by SEAL Team Six, and have discussed a vague "Phase Two" that could involve Army Delta Force units conducting land operations - NYT

Venezuela releases 99 people arrested in protests against Maduro's election victory

US Envoy to the UN Mike Waltz: The single most serious threat to this hemisphere is from transnational terrorist and criminal groups. These cartels are not like the mafia; they are sophisticated, very technically capable, well financed, and are wreaking havoc in our region

.@POTUS on Maduro: "We have a massive armada formed, the biggest we've ever had. He could do whatever he wants, it's alright. If he plays tough, it'll be the last time he's ever able to play tough

Russia has begun evacuating the families of its diplomats from Venezuela, according to a European intelligence official. The move, which includes women and children, started Friday as Moscow assesses the situation in increasingly "grim" terms. Source: AP

Tanker loading in Venezuela dwindled on Monday, with most ships moving oil cargoes only between domestic ports following U.S. action against two more ships and as state-run energy company PDVSA struggles to recover from a cyberattack, according to tracking data and sources

The tanker seized by the US near Venezuela was flying the Guyanese flag and is part of the Iranian regime's ghost fleet.

The US is pursuing a third oil tanker near Venezuela, according to Reuters.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth: President Trump has been clear: the embargo on sanctioned oil tankers leaving or bound for Venezuela will remain in full force until the Maduro regime returns all stolen US assets

Tanker Trackers: An update on SKIPPER (9304667): We are tracking her movements by satellite imagery (just to confirm the AIS data) and can see that she is about a day away from reaching GOLA (Galveston Offshore Lightering Area) where she will have to transfer her 1.85 million barrels cargo onto three smaller tankers in order to feed oil refineries in ports such as Houston

In a pre-dawn action early this morning on Dec. 20, the US Coast Guard with the support of the Department of War apprehended an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela. The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region. We will find you, and we will stop you. Thank you to our brave men

A US Air Force B-52 bomber enters Ecuador for the first time, in a move reflecting a military buildup around Venezuela that goes beyond limited airstrikes and reinforces regional deployment points in the area.

Trump formally nominates Lt. Gen. Donovan, currently the Vice Commander of SOCOM, to lead U.S. Southern Command. Reuters first reported this last week

Today, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned several family members and associates of the Maduro-Flores family. This action further targets the narco-corruption structure that sustains Nicolás Maduro’s illegitimate regime, namely the familial networks of Carlos Erik Malpica Flores and Ramon Carretero Napolitano.

Four officials (two military and two police officers) were killed in Santa Cruz de Aragua, after an ambush

Марко Рубио: Нас не беспокоит эскалация конфликта с Россией в Венесуэле. Мы всегда ожидали от них риторической поддержки Мадуро. У них и так дел по горло в Украине.

Asked if the US wants regime change in Venezuela, @SecRubio says, "Our goal is regional stability in the national interest of the US. Do we consider Maduro legitimate? - No

Trump said he is not ruling out war with Venezuela, telling NBC News, “I don’t rule it out.”

Panama's president announces that a direct flight to Caracas carrying Venezuelan migrants will take place next Monday.

Chevron proceeds with crude oil shipments from Venezuela despite tensions with the U.S., according to Bloomberg

Chinese Foreign Ministry: We support Venezuela's request for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council

Maduro speaks by phone with the UN chief after escalating US threats and blockade announced by Trump

Trump: Drugs brought in by ocean and by sea are now down 94%

Venezuelan President Maduro is calling for a "perfect union" with the Colombian military in defense of his country's sovereignty, a move that comes amid the US deployment in Caribbean waters under the pretext of combating drug trafficking. Maduro denounces a "warmongering and colonialist agenda" by the country governed by Donald Trump, who ordered a total blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers. Despite this, the Chavista leader stated that "trade back and forth" of Venezuelan oil will continue.

Venezuela on Wednesday requested that the United Nations Security Council meet to discuss "ongoing U.S. aggression" against the country, according to a letter to the 15-member body seen by Reuters. A U.N. diplomat said a meeting would likely be scheduled for Tuesday

.@POTUS on the Naval blockade on Venezuela: "We're not gonna let anybody going through that shouldn't be going through. They took all of our energy rights—they took all of our oil from not that long ago. they illegally took it

Trump on Venezuela: We want it back. They took our oil rights. We had a lot of oil there. As you know. They threw our companies out and we want it back

Trump: Venezuela took our oil and we want it back after they expelled our companies.

US military aircraft maintain patrols off the Venezuelan coast for the second consecutive day