Venezuela navy escorts ships following Trump's blockade threat: Report

ISTANBUL

Venezuela deployed naval escorts for ships carrying oil byproducts departing its ports following US President Donald Trump's threat of a "total and complete blockade," The New York Times reported Wednesday.

Venezuelan ships carrying oil byproducts departed from Puerto Jose on the northeast between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, according to ship-tracking data and three people familiar with the matter cited by the newspaper.

The vessels were transporting cargo such as urea and petroleum coke for Asian markets, according to the people.

A US official confirmed that Washington is aware of the escorts, and various courses of action are being considered.

It remains unclear whether these specific ships were subject to US sanctions or included in the list of vessels threatened with blockade.

Meanwhile, Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA said its associated ships continue to sail "with full security, technical support and operational guarantees in legitimate exercise of their right to free navigation."

Trump announced Tuesday a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.

He accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's regime of using oil revenues to fund "drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping."

Caracas condemned the decision as violating international law, with Maduro warning of the risk of a "new Vietnam."

Trump continues demanding Maduro step down, maintaining all options, including military force, remain on the table amid massive force buildup in the region.

The US has carried out 25 known strikes on alleged "narco-terrorist" seaborne vessels, killing 95 people in attacks in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean since September.

The standoff escalated when US forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast on Dec. 10, an act Caracas branded "international piracy."