On Monday (December 22), US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that the US Coast Guard is taking action against drug smuggling ships and oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude oil, aiming to stop the illegal activities of the Venezuelan regime and sending a signal warning the country’s dictator, Nicolas Maduro, that he must step down.
Noem, in an interview with Fox News on Monday, said, “We are not only intercepting these ships, but also sending a message to the world: the illegal activities involving Maduro are unacceptable, he must step down, and we will stand up for our people.”
The US Coast Guard, under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during peacetime, is responsible for overseeing tanker docking, while the US Southern Command under the Department of Defense is coordinating the military forces gathering near Venezuela to combat drug smuggling ships.
In late November, the US officially designated the “Cartel de los Soles” in Venezuela as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) due to the organization’s illegal drug trafficking into the US. The US announced additional sanctions related to terrorism against this organization and identified that members of this organization include Maduro and other senior Venezuelan officials.
The actions taken by the US against the Maduro regime primarily involve delivering lethal blows to drug-running ships and intercepting oil tankers carrying Venezuelan crude oil. For years, the US has imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry, and recently, the sanctions have been significantly escalated. President Trump ordered earlier this month a “total blockade” on all tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan ports under US sanctions.
Noem praised the efforts of the US Coast Guard in Monday’s interview, stating, “This is an enemy of the United States, and we are taking strong action against them. Our Coast Guard has performed exceptionally, not only safely intercepting these ships, but also sending a strong message: we will halt this flow and continue defending our nation.”
So far, Noem has taken a tougher stance on the Venezuela issue compared to other US government officials. President Trump has hinted that Maduro’s rule is numbered but has not clearly stated that the US is attempting to oust Maduro. However, Trump has mentioned the possibility of launching ground attacks on Venezuela multiple times. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statements echo Trump’s, as he also refused to comment last Friday on whether the US is trying to force Maduro out of power.
(This article draws from reporting by Bloomberg News)