The United States has seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump has said, amid soaring tensions between Washington and Caracas.

“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large — the largest one ever seized actually,” Mr Trump told reporters.

“And other things are happening, so you’ll be seeing that later and you’ll be talking about that later with some other people.”

Mr Trump did not immediately give further details about the incident.

His announcement came a day before Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader María Corina Machado was set to address the world from Oslo after coming out of hiding.

Three US officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the operation was led by the US Coast Guard.

They did not name the tanker, which country’s flag it was flying or exactly where the interdiction took place.

British maritime risk management group Vanguard said the tanker Skipper was believed to have been seized off Venezuela early on Wednesday.

Nicolas Maduro in green camouflage clothing speaking into a microphone and holding a long silver sword

Nicolás Maduro has been accused of leading the alleged “Cartel of the Suns.” (AP: Ariana Cubillos)

Mr Trump’s administration has piled pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, deploying a fleet of warships and the world’s largest aircraft carrier under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.

The US has also carried out deadly strikes on more than 20 alleged drug boats in the region, killing at least 87 people.

It has also imposed sanctions on the tanker for what Washington said was involvement in Iranian oil trading, when it was called the Adisa.

Washington has accused Mr Maduro of leading the alleged “Cartel of the Suns”, which it declared a terrorist organisation last month.

Democracies must fight for freedom, Machado says

Democracies must be prepared to fight for freedom in order to survive, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado says.

Mr Trump told Politico on Monday, local time, that Mr Maduro’s “days are numbered” and declined to rule out a US ground invasion against Venezuela.

Mr Maduro said the US was bent on regime change and wanted to seize Venezuela’s oil reserves.

The Venezuelan army swore in 5,600 soldiers on Saturday after Mr Maduro called for stepped-up military recruitment.

The Venezuelan government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

AFP