President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the United States has ordered a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, citing terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and the alleged theft of U.S. assets by the Maduro regime.
In a statement posted to Truth Social on December 16, Trump said Venezuela has been designated a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” and accused the regime of using oil revenue to finance criminal activity, including what he described as “Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Murder, and Kidnapping.”
Trump also said the United States is accelerating the return of illegal aliens and criminals sent into the country by the Maduro regime and warned that Venezuelan oil, land, and other assets must be “returned to the United States, immediately.”
Trump’s announcement references several allegations that had been addressed earlier this month in three separate The Dallas Express exclusives, each examining different aspects of Venezuela’s alleged criminal and foreign operations.
Three Separate DX Exclusives Addressed Distinct Allegations
Earlier this month, The Dallas Express published three independent reports based on documents and correspondence provided by former senior Venezuelan officials and a government whistleblower. Each story focused on a separate dimension of Venezuela’s alleged activities.
The Dallas Express published an exclusive report on December 3 detailing a letter sent to President Donald Trump by former Venezuelan military intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal Barrios, who alleged the Maduro regime operates as a state-directed narco-terrorist organization.
The Dallas Express published a second exclusive report on December 8 featuring a letter from retired Venezuelan Major General Clíver Antonio Alcalá Cordones, who alleged the Maduro regime expanded and exported the criminal organization Tren de Aragua beyond Venezuela’s borders, including into the United States.
The Dallas Express reported on December 12 that whistleblower documents provided to U.S. authorities described extensive cooperation between Venezuela and Iran across finance, energy, mining, and industrial sectors, according to records reviewed by the publication.
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EXCLUSIVE: Letter To Trump 2 – How Maduro Exported Tren de Aragua To U.S.
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Whistleblower Documents Suggest Close Ties Between Iran And Venezuela
The first, published December 3, detailed a letter from Hugo Carvajal Barrios, Venezuela’s former director of military intelligence, who pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal narco-terrorism case. In the letter, Carvajal described Venezuela as a state-directed criminal enterprise that he said used oil revenue to finance drug trafficking, terrorism, and transnational criminal activity.
A second exclusive, published December 8, featured a letter from retired Major General Clíver Antonio Alcalá Cordones, a former Venezuelan military commander who also pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court. Alcalá alleged that the Maduro regime expanded and exported the criminal organization Tren de Aragua beyond Venezuela’s borders, including into the United States.
A third report, published December 12, examined whistleblower materials provided to U.S. authorities outlining extensive cooperation between Venezuela and Iran. The documents described financial, energy, mining, and industrial ties between the two countries and were circulating through U.S. national-security and law-enforcement review channels at the time of publication.
The Dallas Express reported in each case that it had not independently verified all claims contained in the letters or materials.
Iran–Venezuela Relationship Already in Public Discussion
The whistleblower materials detailing Iran–Venezuela cooperation surfaced amid growing public discussion of the relationship. U.S. lawmakers and commentators have increasingly referenced Iran’s presence and influence in Venezuela in interviews and public forums, including recent televised discussions involving Sen. John Fetterman.
The materials reviewed by DX described cooperation spanning finance, resource exploration, and industrial projects, providing documentary context for concerns already being raised publicly.
National Figures Shared Dallas Express Reporting
Following publication, The Dallas Express reporting was shared on social media by several high-profile national figures, including retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, and technology entrepreneur Patrick Byrne.
Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn shared The Dallas Express exclusive reporting on a letter from former Venezuelan intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal Barrios, describing the document as a “strategic warning” about the Maduro regime and its alleged activities.
Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake shared The Dallas Express reporting on a letter sent to President Donald Trump by former Venezuelan intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal Barrios, referring to the document as a “stark warning.”
Technology entrepreneur Patrick Byrne shared The Dallas Express exclusive reporting on allegations that the Maduro regime exported the criminal organization Tren de Aragua beyond Venezuela’s borders, including into the United States.
Ongoing Developments
Trump’s announcement did not reference The Dallas Express or the published letters and materials directly. However, the themes cited in his statement — including oil-funded criminal activity, transnational gangs, and hostile foreign alliances — align with allegations previously described in the DX reports.
U.S. agencies, international shipping firms, and regional governments are expected to monitor the impact of the announced blockade closely.
This is a developing story. The Dallas Express will continue to report updates as they become available.
