US Sanctions and Tanker Seizure Spark Venezuela’s ‘Naval Piracy’ Allegations

Venezuela Condemns US Over Tanker Seizure, Calls It ‘Naval Piracy’

Tensions between the United States and Venezuela escalated sharply after US forces seized the tanker Skipper off Venezuela’s coast and imposed a new round of sanctions on six ships and several of President Nicolás Maduro’s associates. Caracas condemned the operation as “international piracy”, accusing the US of attempting to steal its oil and abduct the crew.

The White House said the Skipper was involved in “illicit oil shipping” and confirmed the vessel is being taken to a US port, with its oil cargo slated for seizure once legal procedures are complete. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the sanctions as a measure to hold Maduro’s allies accountable for human rights abuses and to disrupt what Washington claims is a pipeline for narcotics and illicit oil funding.

Video released by the White House shows US forces boarding the ship via helicopter. Maduro responded by accusing the US of “kidnapping the crew” and engaging in “criminal naval piracy”, while Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello called Washington “murderers, thieves, and pirates”, linking the operation to a history of US interventions worldwide.

Venezuela, home to some of the world’s largest oil reserves, has long accused the US of attempting to control its resources. Maduro vowed that his country will never become an “oil colony.”

The US insists its actions are aimed at enforcing sanctions and combating organized crime. The escalation comes alongside a significant US military presence in the Caribbean, including thousands of troops and the USS Gerald Ford near Venezuelan waters. The Skipper had previously been sanctioned in 2022 for allegedly aiding oil smuggling to fund Hezbollah and Iran’s IRGC-Quds Force.

Both sides have warned of potential regional consequences, with Caracas claiming the US move could spark a new conflict, while Washington maintains it is merely enforcing international sanctions.