Washington — The United States has imposed sanctions on four companies and related oil tankers it says have ties to Venezuela, in the latest escalation against the South American nation.

Ministry of Finance he said in a statement Wednesday that the latest wave of sanctions is targeting oil traders and ships it says are helping to shore up President Nicolás Maduro’s regime.

“President Trump has been clear: We will not allow the illegitimate Maduro regime to profit from oil exports while flooding the United States with deadly drugs,” Finance Minister Scott Bessent said in a statement. “The Treasury Department will continue to implement President Trump’s pressure campaign on the Maduro regime.”

The State Department’s principal deputy spokesman, Tommy Pigott, said Wednesday that the U.S. has sanctioned the entities “for illegally operating in Venezuela’s oil sector.”

“The Trump administration is also blocking four related oil tankers, part of a shadow fleet that funds the illegitimate, corrupt regime of Nicolás Maduro and allows Maduro and his cronies to evade sanctions,” Pigott said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Mr Trump called for a “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, and the US seized two sanctioned vessels while the military is increasing its presence in the region.

The Trump administration’s pressure campaign on Venezuela has included dozens of deadly attacks on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the region. Mr. Trump, who has repeatedly threatened ground attacks on Venezuela, he said The US last week “de-engineered” a “major facility” linked to alleged drug-trafficking operations, but his administration has provided few details about it.

“There was a big explosion in the area of ​​the docks where they load the ships with drugs,” Mr. Trump told reporters on Monday in Florida.

The Trump administration has accused Maduro of drug trafficking and working with gangs designated by the US as terrorist organizations – which Maduro denies.