U.S. Steps Up Pressure On Maduro

• 24.12.2025, 9:35

Washington has refused to recognize the Venezuelan dictator as legitimate.

The United States intends to increase sanctions pressure on Venezuela's ruler Nicolas Maduro "to the maximum extent possible" to deprive his regime of financial resources. In addition, Washington does not consider Maduro and his inner circle as the country's legitimate authority. This was stated by U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz during a Security Council meeting, Reuters reports.

"The greatest threat to our hemisphere, the immediate region and the United States itself is transnational terrorist and criminal organizations," Waltz emphasized.

He said oil tankers under sanctions remain a "key economic artery" of the Maduro regime and are used to finance the Cartel de los Soles group, which the U.S. recently designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The U.S. side claims that Maduro directly heads the entity.

Waltz also noted that the United States does not recognize Maduro and his associates as the legitimate leaders of Venezuela.