The United States has imposed sanctions on four companies it said were operating in Venezuela’s oil sector, as well as associated crude oil tankers, according to the US Treasury Department.
The measures form part of President Donald Trump’s escalating pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
In a statement, the Treasury said it had sanctioned oil traders accused of engaging in sanctions evasion on behalf of the Maduro government.
The action also targeted four vessels, some of which the department said were part of a so-called "shadow fleet."
"Today’s action further signals that those involved in the Venezuelan oil trade continue to face significant sanctions risks," the Treasury said.
US efforts to restrict revenue
The latest sanctions come amid broader US efforts to curb Venezuela’s oil exports and restrict revenue flows to Caracas.
Trump’s campaign against Maduro has included an expanded US military presence in the region, as well as more than two dozen military strikes on vessels that Washington says were involved in drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near Venezuela.
Earlier this month, Trump announced a blockade on all sanctioned vessels entering or leaving Venezuelan waters, a move aimed at tightening economic pressure on the government.
The Treasury measures are the most recent step in that strategy.
According to the US administration, the combination of sanctions and maritime enforcement has already had a significant impact on Venezuela’s oil exports.
Tension amid pressure
The US pressure campaign has also coincided with the detention of several American citizens in Venezuela, according to a report by The New York Times.
The newspaper, citing a US official, said those detained include dual nationals as well as US citizens with no apparent ties to Venezuela.
The US administration is reportedly considering whether to designate at least two of the cases as wrongful detention.
Neither the US State Department nor Venezuelan authorities have publicly commented on the arrests.
According to the US administration, the combination of sanctions and maritime enforcement has already had a significant impact on Venezuela’s oil exports.
The blockade and related actions have reduced oil shipments this month to around half of their November levels, the Treasury said.
Caracas has repeatedly rejected US sanctions, accusing Washington of waging economic warfare against the country.
