Is the U.S. Facing a New Vietnam? Maduro Says Venezuela Leads the Defense of Global Freedom

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro warned on Tuesday of the risk of a “new Vietnam” after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a “total and comprehensive blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.

Speaking at a Working-Class Assembly in the capital Caracas, Maduro sharply criticized U.S. military activity in the Caribbean and the recent seizure of a Venezuelan-owned oil tanker.

He accused Washington of inventing pretexts to justify increased pressure on Venezuela, claiming the United States aims to “create another Libya, Afghanistan, or Iraq.”

“We do not want a new Vietnam. Venezuela has been protesting, fighting, and winning this multidimensional aggression for 25 consecutive weeks,” Maduro said.

Accusations of Psychological Warfare and Piracy

Maduro stated that the U.S. campaign against Venezuela employs tactics ranging from what he described as “psychological terrorism” to outright “piracy.”

“The defense of free trade and peace in the Caribbean and in Venezuela is the defense of the entire world,” Maduro declared, calling on maritime and oil workers worldwide to protest against U.S. actions.

He claimed that the United States seized a civilian vessel carrying 1.9 million barrels of oil, which he said had been legally purchased from Venezuela.

“There will be millions of us telling the imperialists that piracy cannot be accepted,” Maduro added.

Trump Threatens Escalation

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that “Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest army ever assembled in the history of South America.”

“It will only grow, and the shock for them will be something they have never seen before — until they fully return to the United States all the oil, land, and other assets they previously stole from us,” Trump wrote.

Trump also announced that his administration has designated the Maduro government as a foreign terrorist organization, arguing that the blockade is intended to stop what he described as financing for drug trafficking, human trafficking, and the theft of U.S. property.

He further claimed that the United States is rapidly deporting “illegal migrants and criminals” allegedly sent by the Maduro government and demanded that Venezuela immediately return “oil, land, or any other assets” taken from the U.S.

Oil Prices React

Oil prices rose on Wednesday as analysts warned that a full blockade could disrupt global energy supply chains, adding further uncertainty to already volatile markets.