WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch The Showdown Between the U.S. and Venezuela Escalates
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Dec 11, 2025 Mary Anastasia O'Grady, an expert on Latin American politics, dives into the U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker bound for export and its implications for the Maduro regime. She discusses how economic pressure can weaken Maduro without military actions, highlighting the role of U.S. naval forces in enforcing sanctions. The conversation also covers María Corina Machado's secret escape to accept a Nobel Prize, the legitimacy of the 2024 opposition, and the risks surrounding U.S. escalation in the region.
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Cutting Off Regime Dollar Flows
- Seizing sanctioned tankers targets the regime's key dollar flows from oil exports.
- Mary Anastasia O'Grady argues enforcing sanctions weakens Maduro without kinetic strikes.
Naval Presence Enables Enforcement
- The U.S. now has naval assets close enough to interdict tankers in the Caribbean.
- Paul Gigot says that capability enabled this kind of enforcement today but not years ago.
One Ship Won't End The Regime
- Repeated seizures could amount to an effective embargo on Venezuelan oil.
- O'Grady warns one ship isn't enough and active patrolling is required to inflict real pain.