UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres engaged in a phone conversation with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday, amidst rising tensions following a recent US decision to implement a "total blockade" on Venezuelan oil tankers.

"The Secretary-General has received a phone call from H.E. Nicolas Maduro Moros, the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, regarding the current tensions in the region," stated a release from Guterres' office.

It was noted that "during the call, the Secretary-General reaffirmed the United Nations' position on the necessity for Member States to adhere to international law, particularly the United Nations Charter," and Guterres emphasized the importance of "exercising restraint and de-escalating tensions to maintain regional stability."

Previously, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq indicated that Guterres "urges restraint and the immediate de-escalation of the situation."

This call follows US President Donald Trump's announcement on Monday that he had ordered a "total and complete blockade" of sanctioned vessels entering or exiting the South American nation, which has experienced a buildup of US military forces off its northern coast in the Caribbean Sea. Caracas condemned the action as "grotesque," accusing Trump of attempting to appropriate the nation's natural resources. A government statement claimed that Trump "presumes that Venezuela's oil, land, and mineral wealth belong to him."