Venezuela Slams US Over 'International Piracy' After Second Oil Tanker Seizure

In a dramatic escalation of geopolitical tensions, Venezuela has vehemently denounced the United States' seizure of a second oil tanker, labeling the act as 'international piracy' and 'theft'. This latest incident, which Caracas vows to bring before the United Nations, marks a significant tightening of pressure from the Trump administration on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

US Intercepts Tanker, Citing Sanctions Enforcement

The interception occurred off the coast of Venezuela, with US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirming the operation. In a post on X, Noem stated that the Coast Guard, supported by the Pentagon, apprehended the vessel. The US rationale for the seizure is to combat the "illicit movement of sanctioned oil" allegedly used to fund "narco-terrorism" in the region. Secretary Noem's assertive declaration, "We will find you, and we will stop you," underscored Washington's firm stance. A nearly eight-minute aerial video accompanying her post offered a visual account of the pre-dawn operation, showing a helicopter hovering above a large tanker at sea.

This operation represents the second such incident in recent weeks and coincides with a notable increase in US military presence in the Caribbean. Earlier, President Trump had ordered a "total and complete blockade" targeting all sanctioned oil tankers entering or departing the South American nation, further intensifying the long-standing pressure campaign against the Maduro government.

Venezuela Condemns 'Theft and Hijacking,' Vows UN Complaint

Venezuelan officials swiftly condemned the US actions. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez issued a strong statement, accusing the United States of "theft and hijacking" of a private oil-transporting vessel and the "forced disappearance" of its crew in international waters. Rodriguez declared that "these acts will not go unpunished" and affirmed Venezuela's intent to pursue "all corresponding actions," including lodging a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council, other multilateral organizations, and governments worldwide.

According to the UK maritime risk management firm Vanguard, the seized ship is believed to be the Panama-flagged Centuries, intercepted east of Barbados in the Caribbean Sea. Intriguingly, Jeremy Paner, a partner at law firm Hughes Hubbard in Washington, DC, pointed out to Reuters that the US had not specifically sanctioned this particular vessel. Paner commented, "The seizure of a vessel that is not sanctioned by the US marks a further increase in Trump’s pressure on Venezuela. It also runs counter to Trump’s statement that the US would impose a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers."

The Shadow Fleet and Economic Fallout

Internal documents from Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, cited by Reuters, suggest the Centuries was transporting approximately 1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan Merey crude oil destined for China. The report indicates the ship loaded in Venezuela under a deceptive name, "Crag," and is part of a "shadow fleet" – a network of tankers that employ deceptive practices to obscure their locations and transport oil from nations under US sanctions.

The US actions have already had a significant impact, causing a sharp decline in Venezuelan crude oil exports. Since the initial tanker seizure, an unofficial embargo has effectively taken hold, with numerous loaded vessels carrying millions of barrels of oil remaining in Venezuelan waters rather than risking confiscation.

While many vessels involved in Venezuelan oil trade are under direct sanctions, others transporting crude from Venezuela, Iran, and Russia operate without explicit US sanctions. Notably, some companies, such as the US-based Chevron, continue to transport Venezuelan oil using their own authorized ships.

Broader Geopolitical Stakes: Regime Change and Oil Interests

The campaign against Maduro extends beyond tanker seizures. It includes an intensified US military presence in the region and over two dozen military strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels near Venezuela in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, reportedly resulting in at least 100 fatalities. These strikes have drawn criticism, with legal scholars and rights groups labeling them as "extrajudicial killings" and questioning their legality under both US and international law. President Trump has also hinted at the possibility of future US land strikes on Venezuelan territory.

Maduro views this robust US military buildup as a direct attempt to overthrow his government and seize control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves – the largest crude reserves globally. Adam Clements, a former US diplomat and Pentagon official, suggested to Al Jazeera that while the latest seizure is a method to exert pressure, the Trump administration's specific foreign policy objectives regarding Venezuela remain ambiguous, though hints of seeking regime change have surfaced. "It’s so difficult to see if that is exactly the objective," Clements noted, observing that some within the administration seem to have "resurrected some 19th-century foreign policy goals" in the region.

When questioned about the newest tactic against Maduro, President Trump referenced lost US investments in Venezuela, implying that economic disputes over oil resources are a significant motivator behind his administration's escalating actions.