US Denies War with Venezuela, Imposes Oil Quarantine over Security Threats

The United States has dismissed claims that it is at war with Venezuela, saying its actions are limited to an oil quarantine and targeted law enforcement measures aimed at tackling drug trafficking, foreign influence and perceived threats to U.S. national security.

U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. Marco Rubio, clarified Washington’s position in a series of interviews on Sunday, contained in a release made available to Vanguard. He said the United States is exerting what he called “crippling leverage” through sanctions and court-approved seizures of Venezuelan oil shipments to pressure authorities in Caracas.

According to Rubio, the policy followed the recent arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, who were taken into U.S. custody in what he described as a limited law enforcement operation, not a military invasion.

Rubio explained that the United States is enforcing a quarantine on Venezuelan oil, giving U.S. authorities the power to seize sanctioned vessels entering or leaving Venezuelan waters.

“What we are running is the direction this is going to move,” he said, stressing that Washington is not occupying Venezuela but is shaping outcomes through economic pressure.

He alleged that Venezuela has become a centre for drug trafficking, armed gangs and foreign actors such as Iran and Hizballah, which he said pose a direct threat to the United States and the wider region.

Addressing questions on the legal basis for the actions, Rubio said U.S. courts authorised the seizures.

“These are sanctioned boats. We go to court, we get orders, and we seize them,” he said, adding that congressional approval was not required for the operation that led to Maduro’s arrest because it was a targeted law enforcement mission.

Rubio also dismissed suggestions that the United States is “running Venezuela,” insisting that Washington’s actions are designed to safeguard U.S. interests.

He confirmed that there are no U.S. troops stationed in Venezuela, apart from a brief operation lasting a few hours during Maduro’s arrest. While noting that President Donald Trump retains all military options, Rubio said no occupation or long-term deployment has been ordered.

“We are not at war with Venezuela. We are at war with drug trafficking organisations,” he said.

Rubio outlined conditions under which U.S. pressure could be eased, including dismantling drug trafficking routes through Venezuela, removing Iranian and Hizballah influence, and reforming the oil sector to ensure revenues benefit ordinary citizens rather than what he described as corrupt elites.

“We are not reacting to press conferences. We are reacting to what happens,” he said, adding that Washington would judge Venezuelan authorities by their actions.

He confirmed that Chevron remains the only U.S. oil company operating in Venezuela but said Western firms could return if meaningful reforms are carried out. Rubio noted that U.S. Gulf Coast refineries are suited to Venezuelan heavy crude and that a restructured oil industry could generate revenue for the population.

On calls for immediate elections, Rubio said such expectations were unrealistic given Venezuela’s prolonged political crisis, reiterating U.S. support for a democratic transition while stressing that security and national interest concerns remain the immediate priority.

“Our number one objective is America, but we want a better future for the people of Venezuela as well,” he said.

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