WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States (U
S) on Thursday imposed sanctions against relatives of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and six companies shipping the South American country’s oil.

The move came as the White House said it will bring an oil tanker seized by American forces off the Venezuelan coast to a port in the United States, adding to growing fears of open conflict between the two countries.

President Donald Trump’s administration has been piling pressure on Venezuela for months, with a major naval buildup in the region that has been accompanied by deadly strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats, killing nearly 90 people.

In a dramatic raid this week that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said was aimed at Maduro’s “regime,” Washington took control of the tanker, with US forces roping down from a helicopter onto the vessel.

Caracas condemned the raid as “an act of international piracy.”

Russian leader Vladimir Putin expressed support on Thursday during a phone call with his ally Maduro, but with Moscow’s forces tied down in a grinding war in Ukraine, its capacity to provide aid is limited.

The US Treasury announced sanctions against three nephews of Maduro’s wife Cilia Flores, labeling two of them “narco-traffickers operating in Venezuela”.

“Nicolas Maduro and his criminal associates in Venezuela are flooding the United States with drugs that are poisoning the American people,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

Six companies shipping Venezuelan oil were also slapped with sanctions.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told journalists that the seized tanker “will go to a US port and the United States does intend to seize the oil”.

“We’re not going to stand by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black-market oil, the proceeds of which will fuel narco-terrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world.”

The tanker was expected to dock in Galveston, Texas, two unnamed US officials told NBC News, adding that the crew would be released upon arrival.

Noem told a congressional hearing earlier on Thursday that the tanker operation was “pushing back on a regime that is systematically covering and flooding our country with deadly drugs” — a reference to US allegations of narcotics smuggling by Maduro’s government.

A video released Wednesday by US Attorney General Pam Bondi showed American forces descending from a helicopter onto the tanker’s deck, then entering the ship’s bridge with weapons raised.

Bondi said the ship was part of an “illicit oil shipping network” that was used to carry sanctioned oil.

Venezuela’s foreign ministry said it “strongly denounces and condemns what constitutes blatant theft and an act of international piracy.”

“They kidnapped the crew, stole the ship and have inaugurated a new era, the era of criminal naval piracy in the Caribbean,” Maduro said at an event on Thursday.

“Venezuela will secure all ships to guarantee the free trade of its oil around the world,” he added.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday expressed concern over the escalating tensions and urged restraint.

“We are calling on all actors to refrain from action that could further escalate bilateral tensions and destabilise Venezuela and the region,” his spokesperson said.

Citing unnamed officials, the Washington Post reported that Washington was likely to seize more tankers off the Venezuelan coast.

US media reported that the seized tanker had been heading for Cuba — another American rival — and that the ship was stopped by the US Coast Guard.