Venezuela's Maduro vows to 'smash teeth' of U.S. empire as America seizes oil tanker off Venezuelan coast, escalating diplomatic crisis between nations.

As U.S.-Venezuela tensions rise, sociologist and historian Emmanuel Guerisoli wrote in Spanish in Venezuela’s El Nacional that a civil war is “very likely” if the United States tries to unilaterally oust President Nicolás Maduro. Newsweek has reached out to Guerisoli and the State Department for comment via email on Wednesday.

With the economy in ruins, and U.S. military forces off the coast, uncertainty and rumors mark life in Venezuela, dampening the yuletide mood.

Trump administration's new National Security Strategy elevates Western Hemisphere as security priority, targeting Venezuela crisis and instability.

The M/T Skipper seized by U.S. Coast Guard, was a sanctioned crude-oil tanker previously identified as part of an oil shipping network supporting Lebanese group Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, both U.S.-designated terrorist organizations.

The U.S. has imposed sanctions on three nephews of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The move is the latest by President Donald Trump to increase pressure on Venezuela to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said Friday that she is focused on an orderly transition of power in her country should President Nicolás Maduro leave power and that she is confident Venezuela’s police and armed forces would not oppose such a transition.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with U.S. media organization Newsmax on Monday that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was welcome to come to Belarus should he leave office,

Who is Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro? Here's what to know about the political figure facing scrutiny by the American government.

Analysts tell Fox News Digital the next phase of Venezuela’s crisis hinges on Trump’s National Security Strategy and whether Washington pushes Maduro toward negotiation.