Venezuela oil Trump sanctions Maduro.

The recent seizure of an oil tanker known as Skipper by the U.S. off the coast of Venezuela marks a dramatic escalation of President Donald Trump’s campaign to choke off Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s access to oil revenues. The tanker is part of the illicit “shadow fleet” that global energy powers, including Venezuela, Iran and Russia, use to sidestep U.S. sanctions. Analysts say the operation could signal a broader U.S. campaign to clamp down on fuel smuggling. The move also threatens Maduro’s economic lifeline, although experts warn a broader blockade could roil global markets and raise U.S. gasoline prices.