The United States has denied being at war with Venezuela, stating instead that it is enforcing a sweeping oil quarantine and targeted law enforcement actions aimed at addressing drug trafficking, foreign influence and what it describes as threats to U.S. national security.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the clarification during a series of interviews on Sunday, according to a statement made available to Vanguard.
He said Washington is applying what he described as “crippling leverage” through sanctions and court-authorised seizures of Venezuelan oil shipments to pressure authorities in Caracas.
Rubio said the measures followed the recent arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, who were taken into U.S. custody in what he described as a limited law enforcement operation rather than a military invasion.
According to him, the United States is enforcing a quarantine on Venezuelan oil, allowing American authorities to seize sanctioned vessels entering or leaving Venezuelan waters.
“We are not occupying Venezuela,” Rubio said. “We are shaping outcomes through economic pressure.”
He accused Venezuela of serving as a hub for drug trafficking, armed gangs and foreign actors such as Iran and Hizballah, which he said pose a direct threat to the United States and the wider Western Hemisphere.
Addressing questions about the legal basis for the actions, Rubio said U.S. courts authorised the seizures of oil shipments.
“These are sanctioned boats.
We go to court, we get orders, and we seize them,” he said, adding that the operation that led to Maduro’s arrest did not require congressional approval because it was a targeted law enforcement mission.
Rubio rejected claims that the United States is controlling Venezuela, insisting that Washington’s actions are designed solely to protect U.S. interests.
He confirmed that there are no U.S. troops stationed in Venezuela, aside from a brief operation lasting a few hours during Maduro’s arrest. He added that President Donald Trump retains all military options but has not ordered an occupation or long-term deployment.
“We are not at war with Venezuela. We are at war with drug trafficking organisations,” Rubio said.
The Secretary of State outlined conditions for easing U.S. pressure, including dismantling drug trafficking routes through Venezuela, removing Iranian and Hizballah influence, and reforming the oil sector to ensure revenues benefit ordinary Venezuelans rather than what he described as corrupt elites.
He said Washington would assess Venezuela based on actions rather than public statements.
“We are not reacting to press conferences. We are reacting to what happens,” Rubio said.
Rubio also confirmed that Chevron remains the only U.S. oil company operating in Venezuela, adding that Western firms could return if meaningful reforms are implemented. He noted that U.S. Gulf Coast refineries are well suited to process Venezuelan heavy crude and that a restructured oil industry could generate revenue for citizens.
On calls for immediate elections, Rubio said such expectations were unrealistic given Venezuela’s prolonged political crisis, while reaffirming U.S. support for a democratic transition.
