Washington’s escalating efforts to disrupt Venezuelan oil exports are drawing international criticism, with China voicing strong objections to recent U.S. actions. President Trump’s announcement of a blockade targeting sanctioned tankers follows a pattern of increasingly stringent measures aimed at ousting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and has prompted responses from both Caracas and Beijing. The dispute underscores growing geopolitical competition in Latin America and the potential for further disruptions to global energy markets.
China has voiced its opposition to unilateral pressure tactics employed by the United States against Venezuela, as tensions rise over Washington’s efforts to restrict Venezuela’s oil exports. The diplomatic exchange underscores Beijing’s growing role in Latin American affairs and its support for governments facing U.S. sanctions.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi communicated Beijing’s concerns to his Venezuelan counterpart, Yvan Gil, on Wednesday, objecting to what China termed “all forms of unilateral coercion” amid increased U.S. military pressure on the Maduro government.
“China opposes all forms of unilateral coercion and supports countries in protecting their own sovereignty and national dignity,” Wang Yi stated, according to a summary released by his ministry.
The communication followed an announcement by President Donald Trump that the U.S. would block “sanctioned oil tankers” from entering or leaving Venezuelan waters. The move is the latest escalation in the U.S. campaign to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa), asserted Wednesday that crude oil and derivative exports “are developing normally” despite the U.S. order to block all sanctioned tankers. The company’s statement came after Trump’s announcement of a “total and complete blockade of all sanctioned tankers entering and leaving” the country.
In a statement, Pdvsa indicated that tankers linked to its operations “continue to navigate with full assurance, technical support and operational guarantees, in legitimate exercise of the rights to freedom of navigation and free trade, widely recognized and protected by international law.”
Pdvsa also noted that Venezuela’s oil industry has been targeted by sanctions, sabotage, cyberattacks, and, most recently, “acts of international piracy,” referencing the U.S. seizure of a vessel carrying Venezuelan crude oil on December 10th. The incident highlights the increasing risks facing Venezuela’s oil trade amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
