The United States has seized a crude oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in a move that has sharply escalated diplomatic tensions between Washington and Caracas and sent global oil prices higher.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed on Wednesday that American authorities executed a seizure warrant on the vessel, which was allegedly used to transport sanctioned crude oil linked to Venezuela and Iran. New footage released alongside the announcement showed the operation at sea, underscoring Washington’s renewed enforcement of sanctions on illicit oil shipments.
President Donald Trump also addressed the seizure, describing the tanker as exceptionally large and portraying the action as part of broader pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Speaking to reporters, Trump said the tanker was taken off the Venezuelan coast and suggested the seized oil would be retained by the United States, adding to the controversy surrounding the operation.
The seizure immediately drew a strong reaction from the Venezuelan government. In an official statement, Caracas accused the United States of “blatant theft” and labeled the action “an act of international piracy.” Venezuelan authorities said they would formally denounce the incident before international organizations, arguing that the move violates international law.
The development has heightened already strained relations between the two countries, as the United States continues to tighten sanctions aimed at Venezuela’s oil sector, a key source of revenue for the Maduro government. Analysts say the seizure signals a more aggressive stance by Washington in enforcing energy-related sanctions, particularly those involving Iran-linked oil trade.
As global markets reacted to the news with a rise in oil prices, attention is now turning to the diplomatic fallout and potential legal battles that may follow, with Venezuela vowing to pursue the matter on the international stage.
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