The White House ordered military forces to focus on enforcing a "quarantine" of tankers off the Venezuelan coast for the next two months, according to a new report.
A White House official told Reuters that while "military options still exist, the focus is to first use economic pressure by enforcing sanctions to reach the outcome the White House is looking."
"The efforts so far have put tremendous pressure on (authoritarian President Nicolas) Maduro, and the belief is that by late January, Venezuela will be facing an economic calamity unless it agrees to make significant concessions to the U.S.," the official added.
In fact, analysts consulted by The Atlantic said the decision could exert significant pressure on Maduro by targeting the regime's main source of revenue, potentially forcing significant concessions while stopping short of guaranteeing regime change.
Juan Gonzalez, a former National Security Council adviser on Latin America under President Joe Biden, said the move strikes at "the single biggest source of revenue that has propped up Maduro's government since 2013."
"If the goal is to force concessions, he said, "this is a really smart move."
Jason Marczak, a Latin America expert at the Atlantic Council, said stricter enforcement of sanctions could sever the "financial lifelines that keep Maduro in power." Others cautioned, however, that Venezuela has repeatedly adapted to sanctions. Francisco Mora, a former U.S. defense official, said raising the cost of exporting oil "hurts the regime," but added, "it is not clear how much of an impact it will have."
U.S. officials say the seizures are legally grounded in existing sanctions, distinguishing them from earlier airstrikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats. Still, analysts warn the measures carry risks. Oil revenue underpins both the Venezuelan state and the broader economy, raising the possibility of worsening humanitarian conditions and increased migration. Gonzalez said sustaining a full embargo would be difficult "given the humanitarian and migration implications."
The pressure campaign has already had ripple effects. Russian-linked oil company Cyprus Limited recently announced it would exit Venezuela, citing the combined impact of international sanctions and financial restrictions. The company said it faced a "structural incapacity" to continue operations, adding to signs of strain in the energy sector.
Caracas has condemned the tanker seizures as "theft" and "international piracy."
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