The United States will either retain or sell crude oil from tankers it has seized near Venezuela, President Donald Trump said, confirming the administration will also keep control of the vessels themselves.
His remarks came as Washington intensifies pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down.
Speaking to reporters in Florida on Monday, Trump said of the oil: "We're going to keep it. Maybe we will sell it, maybe we will keep it. Maybe we'll use it in the Strategic Reserves. We're keeping the ships also."
The US government has accused Venezuela of using oil profits to finance drug-related crime, while Caracas has condemned the seizures as "piracy." So far this month, the US military has captured two oil tankers, including one over the weekend, and is pursuing a third vessel described as part of a Venezuelan "dark fleet" that evades US sanctions.
"It's moving along, and we'll end up getting it," Trump added.
In a separate action on Monday, the US military carried out a strike on a suspected trafficking vessel in international waters in the eastern Pacific, killing one person, according to US Southern Command.
When asked whether the aim of the seizures was to push Maduro from power, Trump said: "Well, I think it probably would... That's up to him what he wants to do. I think it'd be smart for him to do that. But again, we're gonna find out."
The US has expanded its military presence in the Pacific and Caribbean Seas, targeting alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling boats, which has resulted in approximately 100 deaths. Critics have called for evidence linking the vessels to drugs, and Congress is increasingly scrutinizing the military’s actions.
Trump also signaled plans to target land-based operations, warning: "We'll be starting the same programme on land. If they want to come by land, they're going to end up having a big problem. They're going to get blown to pieces, because we don't want our people poisoned."
In response, Maduro said on state television: "He would be better off in his own country dealing with economic and social issues and the world would be better off if he focused on his own country's affairs."
Since returning to office in January, Trump has doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture and labelled him "one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world." The administration has designated Maduro’s government a foreign terrorist organisation and recently imposed a "blockade" on sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers.
As Venezuela relies heavily on oil exports to fund public spending, Caracas has strongly condemned the latest measures. The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold an emergency session on Tuesday at Venezuela’s request to address what the government calls ongoing US aggression.
