President Donald Trump’s blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers off the country’s coast is raising new concerns about the legality of U.S. military operations in Latin America and fears that the United States could be edging closer to war.

The administration insists the measure targets only sanctioned vessels and not civilians, but legal experts warn that such actions without congressional approval may breach international law and risk provoking a Venezuelan military response. “The concern is that we are bootstrapping our way into armed conflict,” said Claire Finkelstein, a national security law professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Trump’s campaign against Venezuela is part of a broader effort to pressure President Nicolás Maduro, accused of narcoterrorism and using oil revenue to fund drug trafficking. U.S. forces have attacked 28 suspected drug-smuggling boats since September, killing over 100 people, and the president has threatened land strikes.

Venezuelan authorities condemned the blockade. Maduro’s son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, called for dialogue while warning of the threat posed by the world’s most powerful military.

The Pentagon prefers to describe the operation as a “quarantine” rather than a blockade, noting that an international law blockade constitutes an act of war. Critics argue the selective targeting of oil shipments resembles a wartime maneuver without formal authorization, leaving questions about the legal and strategic implications of Trump’s campaign.

Source: AP