Trump hints at land strike, Venezuela's Maduro fires ‘Pirates of Caribbean’ Jibe

Following the U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker in the Caribbean, President Donald Trump escalated tensions by warning that the United States could soon begin land operations against what he called Venezuela’s narco-terrorism. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro issued a forceful rebuttal, accusing the U.S. of committing a criminal and illegal act that he described as piracy in the Caribbean after armed forces intercepted a commercial vessel carrying nearly two million barrels of paid Venezuelan oil. Maduro said the tanker was attacked far from Venezuelan waters near Grenada and claimed its crew had been kidnapped and their whereabouts concealed. He announced that Venezuela would pursue diplomatic and legal actions while taking new measures to safeguard its oil shipments. Maduro added that he held a lengthy call with Russian President Vladimir Putin who expressed admiration for Venezuela’s resilience and pledged unwavering support for its sovereignty.