US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that his country’s forces had seized a ship. Later, US Attorney General Pam Bondi explained that Washington suspects the tanker was transporting oil from Venezuela and Iran. The operation was carried out with the participation of the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Coast Guard, and the US Department of Defense. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ivan Gil described the action as “an act of piracy and unlawful aggression,” declaring Caracas’ intention to approach international bodies. During a speech in the town of Amaliwaka, Maduro stated that a survey conducted by “a very reputable international company confirms that 96% of Venezuelans vehemently reject the hijacking of an oil tanker carrying Venezuelan oil to global markets and its theft.” He also pointed to the growing international rejection of US actions, noting that the US Coast Guard and military “receive orders to commit illegal acts of piracy,” recalling previous incidents where US forces used force against civilian vessels in the Caribbean Sea. Maduro added, “They were ordered to kill and eliminate fishermen near Trinidad and Tobago, even though they were not heading to the United States. This is a fact.” US authorities confirmed on Thursday their intention to seize the oil on board the detained tanker, noting that the Department of Justice had obtained a court order allowing the ship to be transferred to a US port. The Venezuelan president stressed that these steps reveal once again the “true intention” of US policy, explaining that “oil is what they want to steal,” and that his country will continue to defend its sovereignty and resources. Washington carried out airstrikes on more than 20 Venezuelan ships in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean in early September, claiming they suspected drug smuggling to the United States, but without providing any evidence to support this accusation. The strikes resulted in the deaths of more than 80 people. While the United States says the goal of this large-scale military deployment is to curb drug and human trafficking into its territory, experts believe the goal is to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and seize his country through a scenario of prompting some Venezuelan opposition to take to the streets and demand a change in anti-US policy.
