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By Amira El-Fekki
Middle East News Reporter
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Caracas has called the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast "act of international piracy," arguing the move was part of a long-running strategy to take control of its natural resources.
"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounces and energetically repudiates what constitutes a brazen theft and an act of international piracy, publicly announced by the president of the United States, who confessed to the assault of an oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea," the government said in a statement in Spanish.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump described the tanker, which appeared to have been bound for Cuba, as the "largest ever" seized by the U.S., in a further escalation in the White House's campaign against President Nicolás Maduro's regime.
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Why It Matters
The United States has intensified its anti-narcotics operations in Latin America, with Venezuela as a central focus. The campaign targets the Maduro regime, which the U.S. government has said supports terrorist and illicit activities.
There has been a noticeable U.S. military buildup in parts of the Caribbean, including upgrades to former bases and increased operations near Venezuela. Trump has also issued warnings and threats toward other governments in the region, signaling that U.S. pressure could extend beyond Venezuela.
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What To Know
"We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large—largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump told reporters during a roundtable at the White House. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the U.S. for years due to illicit oil shipping activities.
Officials said the operation, carried out by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Coast Guard, with support from the Department of Defense, targeted the vessel long accused of moving illicit oil tied to foreign terrorist groups.
Coast Guard members were taken to the oil tanker by helicopter from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, according to The Associated Press. The nuclear-powered carrier and strike group are operating in the Caribbean Sea amid deployment to the U.S. Southern Command Forces' (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility.
Venezuela holds some of the largest proven crude oil reserves in the world, most of which is the extra-heavy crude oil from the Orinoco Belt. Asian buyers demanded steep discounts on this crude due to sanctioned oil flooding the market from Russia and Iran, and heightened risks at Venezuelan ports amid increased U.S. military presence in the region, according to Reuters.
U.S. military strikes targeting boats used in alleged drug-trafficking networks have killed more than 80 people, triggering scrutiny from lawmakers and backlash from Venezuela and Colombia.
On Wednesday, Trump also lashed out at Colombia and said the country was a major drug manufacturer. He accused President Gustavo Petro of being "hostile" to the U.S., telling reporters he "better wise up or be next."
What People Are Saying
Venezuela's government said in a statement on Wednesday: "Humanity is awakening and rising up against the imperial abuses of the North, as demonstrated by numerous, massive protests across several U.S. states and cities in Europe. The Venezuelan people have also given a resounding demonstration in the streets of Venezuela in defense of the peace of our nation."
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla wrote on X on Thursday: "We condemn the vile act of piracy and the seizure by that country's military forces of a vessel carrying Venezuelan oil, which contravenes the rules of free trade and freedom of navigation, in open violation of International Law."
Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote on X on Thursday: "Trump is a very misinformed man about Colombia. It's a shame, because he disregards the country that knows the most about cocaine trafficking. It seems that his interlocutors are completely deceiving him."
What Happens Next
The U.S. could tighten monitoring of Venezuelan oil shipments and conduct more operations targeting sanctioned networks as it increases diplomatic and economic pressure on Maduro.
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