SAT . POISONING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE’: Trump Administration Slaps Sanctions on Maduro Network in Major Oil Crackdown
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‘POISONING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE’: Trump Administration Slaps Sanctions on Maduro Network in Major Oil Crackdown
The Trump administration announced sweeping new sanctions targeting individuals and companies tied to Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, signaling a sharp escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against what officials describe as a corrupt and dangerous regime.
According to the U.S. Treasury Department, the sanctions hit three nephews of Maduro’s wife, a Maduro-aligned businessman, and six shipping companies allegedly operating at the heart of Venezuela’s oil sector — a key financial lifeline for the regime.
Targeting the Regime’s Inner Circle
Officials say the sanctioned individuals are part of an elite network that has benefited directly from Venezuela’s oil revenues while ordinary citizens face economic collapse, shortages, and mass emigration.
The six shipping companies named in the action are accused of helping move Venezuelan oil through opaque international channels, allowing the regime to bypass restrictions and funnel money back into its power structure.
“This is about cutting off the arteries that keep a brutal dictatorship alive,” a senior administration official said.
Treasury: Biden-Era Strategy ‘Empowered a Dictator’
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent did not mince words in explaining the rationale behind the move.
“These sanctions undo the Biden administration’s failed attempt to make a deal with Maduro, enabling his dictatorial and brutal control at the expense of the Venezuelan and American people,” Bessent said.
He added that easing pressure on Caracas had only strengthened Maduro’s grip on power while allowing corruption and criminal activity to flourish.
Oil, Corruption, and National Security
The administration framed the sanctions as both a human rights measure and a national security necessity, warning that Venezuelan oil revenues have been used to prop up authoritarian rule, destabilize the region, and undermine U.S. interests.
Officials also pointed to concerns over illicit financial flows, sanctions evasion, and the role of foreign shipping networks in laundering oil profits.
“This regime doesn’t just poison its own people,” one Treasury official said. “It poisons global markets and threatens democratic stability.”
Political Shockwaves in Washington
The move is already reigniting debate in Washington over how the U.S. should handle authoritarian governments in Latin America. Supporters of the sanctions say the action restores credibility and deterrence after what they view as years of mixed messaging.
Critics, however, argue that sanctions risk worsening humanitarian conditions — a claim administration officials reject, insisting the measures are targeted at elites, not the Venezuelan population.
What Comes Next
The Treasury Department indicated additional actions could follow if Maduro’s network continues to exploit oil exports and international shipping routes. U.S. allies are also being urged to tighten enforcement and share intelligence.
For now, the message from Washington is clear: any attempt to profit from Venezuela’s oil sector while supporting Maduro’s regime will come at a steep cost.
As Bessent concluded, the administration’s goal is simple — to stop what it calls “the poisoning of both the Venezuelan people and the American people” by a regime that refuses to relinquish power.
