Trump Escalates Pressure on Venezuela, Meets with Top Officials Amid Rising Tensions

US President Donald Trump is meeting with key national security officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The gathering comes as the US Coast Guard steps up efforts to interdict oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea, part of the administration's pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's government. The US has been escalating its pressure on Venezuela, with the Coast Guard seizing several oil tankers, including the Skipper, which was registered in Panama. The US alleges that these tankers are part of Venezuela's 'shadow fleet,' which operates on the fringes of the law to move sanctioned cargo. The situation has taken a grim turn, with Russia's Foreign Ministry evacuating the families of diplomats from Venezuela. According to European intelligence officials, the evacuations include women and children and began on Friday. Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yván Gil has accused the US of violating international law, citing attacks on vessels and extrajudicial executions. The US has denied these allegations, saying its actions are aimed at disrupting Venezuela's 'dark fleet' and sending a message to Maduro that his days in power are numbered. The US has also demanded that Venezuela return assets seized from US oil companies years ago, justifying its blockade of sanctioned oil tankers. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said that the targeting of tankers is intended to send a message to the world that Maduro's actions cannot stand. The situation has sparked concerns about the humanitarian impact, with residents in Venezuela describing the economic situation as dire. The country's oil-dependent economy has been in decline, and the energy industry has produced significantly less oil than in the past. The US has also been carrying out attacks on smaller vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean, which it alleges are carrying drugs to the US and beyond. The strikes have resulted in at least 104 deaths since early September, sparking scrutiny from US lawmakers and human rights activists.