US hits Maduro's family, Venezuela oil tankers with fresh sanctions

• US issued new sanctions on Venezuela, targeting three nephews of President Maduro's wife and six crude oil tankers/shipping companies.
• The sanctions are part of increased US pressure on Caracas, including a military buildup in the southern Caribbean and President Trump's campaign for Maduro's ouster.
• The US Treasury Department sanctioned six shipping companies and six associated crude oil tankers, some Panama-flagged, which recently loaded oil in Venezuela.
• Franqui Flores and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, nephews of Venezuelan first lady Cilia Flores, were sanctioned; they were previously convicted for a cocaine deal.
• The action follows the US seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela on Wednesday, the first such seizure since 2019 amid ongoing US sanctions.

Why It Matters: New US sanctions escalate pressure on Venezuela's government and economy.