Page 10 - Venezuela

Khamenei slams US for 'expansionism' after Venezuela tanker seizure

Following Washington's escalating pressure campaign against Venezuela and its government, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday took a sharp swipe at the United States, accusing it of pursuing "territorial expansionism" in parts of Latin America while speaking about global resistance to foreign pressure.In a post on X, Khamenei wrote "withstanding enemy pressures is Resistance," adding that such pressure may take different forms, including expansionist goals or attempts to influence cultural and social identity."Withstanding enemy pressures is Resistance. The goal of such pressure may be territorial expansionism - like what the US is now doing in some Latin American countries - or it may involve cultural & religious matters, or pressure to change people's lifestyles & their identities," Khamenei stated in his post.The remarks by Iran's supreme leader were in reference to Washington's increased pressure tactics over South America, particularly Venezuela ..

Tanker seizure just the start of Trump's pressure campaign on Venezuela

The seizure spooked oil markets and comes after President Donald Trump ordered a massive US military build-up in the region that has raised fears of outright conflict

Putin offers 'solidarity' for Venezuelan people as tensions with US rise

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed "solidarity with the Venezuelan people" on Thursday amid growing tensions between Venezuela's leader, Nicols Maduro, and the Trump administration. The Kremlin said in a statement that Putin spoke with Maduro by phone and reaffirmed his support for Venezuelan leader's policy of "protecting national interests and sovereignty in the face of growing external pressure." The call comes a day after American forces seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, the latest tactic from US President Donald Trump's administration to ramp up pressure on Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the United States. During testimony before Congress on Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem linked the seizure of the vessel to the Trump administration's anti-drug efforts in the region. The US has built up its largest military presence in the region in decades and launched a series of deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling ...

Nobel winner Machado appears in Oslo after 'journey of extreme danger'

The perilous trip involved her taking a boat to Curacao, a Dutch Caribbean island about 40 miles away, a person familiar with the matter said

More than 30 sanctioned ships in Venezuela at risk after US tanker seizure

The US action, as Trump ratchets up pressure on the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, has put many vessel owners, operators and shipping agencies on alert

US has seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, says Trump

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela amid mounting tensions with the government of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro. It is the Trump administration's latest push to increase pressure on Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the United States. "We've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela -- a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually," Trump told reporters at the White House. Trump said "other things are happening," but did not offer additional details, saying he would speak more about it later. The seizure was carried led by the US Coast Guard led effort and supported by the Navy, according to a US official who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. A day earlier, the US military flew a pair of fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela in what appeared to be the closest that warplanes had come to the South American country's

Venezuelan opposition leader Machado to miss Nobel Peace Prize ceremony

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado will miss the ceremony to award her the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Wednesday, the head of the Norwegian Nobel Institute said. Machado last appeared in public 11 months ago. Nobel Institute director Kristian Berg Harpviken told public broadcaster NRK the Venezuelan opposition leader was not in the Norwegian capital on the day of the ceremony, and her daughter will accept the prize on Machado's behalf. We confirm that she will not attend the Nobel ceremony, but we are optimistic about her presence on the rest of the day's agenda, said Machado's spokesperson, Claudia Macero. She did not give information on Machado's current location. Prominent Latin American figures planned to attend Wednesday's ceremony in a signal of solidarity with Machado, including Argentine President Javier Milei, Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa, Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino and Paraguayan President Santiago Pena. Machado has been living in hiding and h

Four killed as US military conducts another strike on suspected drug boat

US Southern Command announced that it conducted another strike against a small boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, following a pause of almost three weeks. Thursday's strike is the 22nd the US military has carried out against boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean that the Trump administration claimed were trafficking drugs. There were four casualties in Thursday's strike, according to the social media post, bringing the death toll of the campaign to at least 87 people. In a video that accompanied the announcement, a small boat can be seen moving across the water before it is suddenly consumed by a large explosion. The video then zooms out to show the boat covered in flames and billowing smoke. The strike was conducted the same day Adm. Frank "Mitch" Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door classified briefings at the US Capitol as lawmakers began an investigation into the very first strike carried out by the military on September 2. The sessions came after a repor

US Navy admiral denies 'kill all' order amid probe on Venezuela boat strike

A Navy admiral told lawmakers Thursday that there was no kill them all order from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth as Congress scrutinises an attack that killed two survivors of an initial strike on an alleged drug boat in international waters near Venezuela. Adm Frank Mitch Bradley "was very clear that he was given no such order, to give no quarter or to kill them all. He was given an order that, of course, was written down in great detail, said Sen Tom Cotton, who heads the Senate Intelligence Committee, as he exited a classified briefing. Cotton defended the attack, but a Democrat who also was briefed said that while there was no kill them all order from Hegseth, he was still deeply concerned by video of the second strike. What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service, Connecticut Rep Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters. You have two individuals in clear distress without any means of .

Why Trump is hinting at strikes inside Venezuela: All you need to know

Donald Trump has hinted that the US may strike inside Venezuela after attacks on suspected drug boats, raising tensions with President Maduro as both sides trade accusations

Venezuela to accept deported migrants despite Trump's airspace claim

US-operated flights returning deported migrants to Venezuela will continue despite President Donald Trump's assertion that the airspace of the South American country should be considered closed. The government of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro on Tuesday announced that the twice weekly flights will go on following a request from the Trump administration. That reverses a Venezuelan government Saturday announcement indicating that US immigration authorities had unilaterally suspended the flights. An overflight and landing application submitted Monday by US-based Eastern Airlines requests permission for an arrival Wednesday. The application was made public Tuesday by Venezuela's foreign affairs minister. Venezuelans have been steadily deported to their home country this year after Maduro, under pressure from the White House, did away with his long-standing policy of not accepting deportees from the US. Immigrants arrive regularly at the airport outside the capital, Caracas, on ...

Trump holds Oval Office meeting on Venezuela amid questions on US strikes

The deliberations came as the US has stepped up pressure on Venezuela through strikes on drug boats and a significant military build-up in the Caribbean under 'Operation Southern Spear'

Trump downplays Venezuelan airspace warning as US mulls new steps

The US is enacting a widening campaign in the Caribbean, one that began with fatal strikes on boats in international waters and continued when the US deployed additional Navy ships

Donald Trump says consider airspace above and surrounding Venezuela closed

"To all airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers, please consider the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela to be closed in its entirety. Thank you for your attention to this matter"

Airlines cancel Venezuela flights after FAA warns of rising security risks

International airlines increasingly cancelled flights to Venezuela on Sunday after the US Federal Aviation Administration warned pilots to use caution when flying in the country's airspace because of worsening security and heightened military activity. Marisela de Loaiza, president of the Airlines Association in Venezuela, told The Associated Press that six carriers have indefinitely suspended flights: TAP, LATAM, Avianca, Iberia, Gol and Caribbean. Turkish Airlines suspended flights from November 24 to 28. Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote Sunday on X that there must be regular flights to all Latin American countries and from Latin America and the world. Countries are not blocked, because blocking countries means blocking people, and that is a crime against humanity," Petro added. On Friday, the FAA warned pilots that unspecified threats could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes as well planes taking off and landing in the country and even aircraft on the ...

Trump threatens Latin America with military action but US strategy unclear

The comments - which hit the Mexican peso - echo remarks he's made in the past about potentially using force to seize Greenland and take back the Panama Canal

Trump may hold talks with Maduro as US aircraft carrier reaches Caribbean

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the US may be having some discussions with Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro, a potential diplomatic avenue as the US further builds up its military presence near the South American country with the arrival of its most advanced aircraft carrier. Trump didn't offer details about the possible discussions with Maduro, but he said Venezuela would like to talk." The development comes as the Trump administration has carried out a series of military strikes against vessels suspected of transporting drugs. The arrival of the USS Gerald R Ford and other warships, announced by the Navy in a statement, marks a major moment in what the administration insists is a counterdrug operation but has been seen as an escalating pressure tactic against Maduro. When asked Sunday what he meant when he said Maduro wants to talk, Trump simply said: What does it mean? You tell me, I don't know. I'll talk to anybody," he added a few moments later. "We'll see what ..

Made 'progress' on stopping flow of drugs from Venezuela, says Trump

US has called Venezuela's leader, President Nicolas Maduro, illegitimate and the head of a drug-trafficking network

Colombia to suspend intelligence ties with US over strikes on drug vessels

Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered his nation's security forces Tuesday to stop sharing intelligence with the United States, until the Trump administration stops its strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean, as relations deteriorate between the nations that were once close partners in the fight against drug trafficking. In a message on X, Petro wrote that Colombia's military must immediately ends communications and other agreements with U.S. security agencies" until the U.S. ceases its attacks on speedboats suspected of carrying drugs, that critics have likened to extrajudicial executions. Petro wrote that the fight against drugs must be subordinated to the human rights of the Caribbean people. It wasn't immediately clear what kind of information Colombia will stop sharing with the United States. At least 75 people have been killed by the U.S. military in strikes in international waters since August, according to figures supplied by the Trump administration. The

US strikes another suspected drug boat in Pacific, killing all 4 onboard

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the US military carried out another strike on a boat he said was carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing all four people aboard the vessel, as the Trump administration pursues its divisive campaign against drug cartels in the waters off South America. Hegseth said in a social media post that intelligence determined the craft was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. He said the strike was conducted in international waters and no US forces were harmed. A video posted by Hegseth shows a boat exploding into flames and smoke. The Trump administration has been conducting a nearly two-month campaign in the waters off of South America, while building up US military forces in the region. This has fueled speculation that the moves are aimed at ousting Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro, whom the US has accused of narcoterrorism. The Trump administration has shown no evidence to suppor