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

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.

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

Maduro has survived predictions and ridicule, but along the way, Venezuela lost millions of inhabitants, 72% of its economy, democratic legitimacy in the eyes of much of the world, and many of its most important international allies.

The U.S. Coast Guard's seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker near the coast of Venezuela dealt a blow to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

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.

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.

Opposition leader María Corina Machado plans to return to Venezuela whether or not President Nicolás Maduro is removed from power

The possibility of Nicolás Maduro leaving Venezuela as part of a political transition has ceased to be a theoretical scenario and has now entered the regional debate. According to CNN, Gustavo Petro’s government is considering allowing Colombia to receive the Venezuelan president should he decide to leave his country amid a change of power.