US Seizes Venezuelan Oil Tanker; Blockade Could Topple Maduro

• US seized the oil tanker "Skipper" in international waters, carrying Venezuelan crude oil bound for Cuba, citing its involvement in an illicit shipping network for sanctioned oil.
• Venezuela denounced the seizure as "international piracy" and "blatant theft," claiming it's an aggression targeting their natural resources and vowing to defend its sovereignty.
• President Trump stated Nicolás Maduro's "days are numbered" and confirmed the tanker seizure, but declined to comment on potential military intervention in Venezuela.
• Experts suggest a US oil blockade could severely damage Venezuela's economy and potentially force Maduro's departure, though it would be considered an act of war.
• Maduro remains defiant, urging citizens to be "warriors" against US aggression, which he alleges aims to overthrow him and seize Venezuela's oil resources.

Why It Matters: US actions against Venezuela could trigger economic collapse and regime change.