CARACAS – Venezuela has accused the United States of committing “blatant theft” and an act of “international piracy” after the U.S. government intercepted and seized a Venezuelan oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea.
In a strongly worded statement, the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela condemned what it described as an illegal operation publicly acknowledged by the U.S. president. According to Caracas, the president “confessed” to ordering the assault on a tanker transporting Venezuelan crude.
Venezuela: “A deliberate plan to steal our oil”
The statement asserts that the U.S. action forms part of a long-standing strategy to seize Venezuela’s natural resources.
“This is not the first time he has admitted it,” the government wrote, referring to remarks made during the 2024 presidential campaign. According to Venezuela, the U.S. leader previously stated that his goal was to “take Venezuela’s oil without paying anything in return,” framing Washington’s actions as part of a deliberate plan to dispossess the country of its energy wealth.
Incident follows tanker seizure near Venezuelan coast
The denunciation follows reports that a large crude-carrying supertanker — previously sanctioned for transporting Iranian oil — was intercepted and seized by U.S. forces after loading roughly two million barrels of Merey heavy crude at Venezuela’s José terminal.
Washington has not yet publicly commented on the Venezuelan statement or provided additional details about the operation.
Caracas calls it piracy; regional tensions grow
Venezuela labeled the incident an act of “international piracy” and accused the U.S. of escalating aggression in the Caribbean region amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Caribbean governments, including Curaçao, are already on high alert due to increasing military activity and strained relations between the U.S. and Venezuela, particularly after a series of recent U.S. attacks on alleged drug-trafficking boats.
Venezuela’s statement did not indicate what retaliatory measures it may consider, but it insisted that the country would continue to defend its sovereignty and natural resources.
Further updates are expected as diplomatic repercussions unfold.