Venezuela has raised its tone against the United States after the capture of an oil tanker in international waters near the country’s coast. A statement from the Nicolás Maduro government classified the action as a “brutal and illegal intervention” and stated that Washington is advancing on Venezuelan sovereignty.
The reaction occurred after the . For Caracas, the operation represents a qualitative change in the American military siege, as it directly interferes with oil exports, the regime’s main source of revenue.
Foreign Minister Yván Gil called the episode an “act of international piracy” and said that it is not the first time that Trump has made clear his objective of “keeping Venezuelan oil”. The statements were also motivated by the speech of the American president, who told the press that the ship and its cargo could “stay with us”.
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The capture reignited fears in Venezuela about a blockade of exports, a scenario that experts classify as an act of war and which could further stifle the country’s economy. Caracas is also seeing increased US military pressure in the Caribbean, with the deployment of fighter jets, troops and the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford.
Maduro recently claimed to have had a “cordial” telephone conversation with Trump, but the intensification of military operations since then has led the Venezuelan government to treat the oil tanker episode as another step in the siege against his regime. Members of the White House defend toughness, while other wings discuss possible US entry into the country’s oil industry.
