President Donald Trump sanctioned three nephews of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a regime businessman, six companies, and ships carrying Venezuelan oil on Dec. 11, 2025, according to Axios reports published over the past hour. The sanctions target family members and entities involved in Venezuela's oil trade, as detailed in Axios articles shared on X by @axios and @MarcACaputo between 5:46 PM and 6:45 PM UTC. A Fox News exchange quoted Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Troy Leavitt stating the Trump administration is focused on multiple priorities in the Western Hemisphere amid questions on whether Operation Southern Spear concerns drugs or oil. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro decreed that 2026 has begun in Venezuela, stating "2026 has already begun, today is 2026," according to an X post by @AlertaNews24 during the reporting window. Spanish politician Irene Montero denounced a U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker as "illegal aggression," accusing Europe and Spain of complicity, per an X post by @UHN_Plus. U.S. Air Force assets include a Rivet Joint aircraft heading into the Gulf, with @AirAssets on X noting a missing B-52 and presuming another entered the Gulf, shared over the past hour. An American private rescue team extracted Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado from Venezuela in 15 to 16 hours of rough seas to reach Norway for her Nobel Peace Prize, as reported by CBS News and shared on X by @RSprouseNews. The ELN guerrilla group has established in Venezuelan states bordering Colombia, including Zulia with access to the Caribbean coast for crimes, according to InSightCrime in an X post during the window. These developments follow U.S. military aircraft movements to Puerto Rico and Trinidad reported earlier on Dec. 11 by @LatAmMilMVMTs and others.
