Along with the blockade, Trump said he has formally designated Venezuela's Maduro and his government allies a foreign terrorist organization.

In December 2025, the U.S. did seize an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela — just not the one shown in viral posts.

Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA has been subject to a cyberattack, it said on Monday, adding its operations were unaffected, even though four sources said systems remained down and oil cargo deliveries were suspended.