{"id":2149,"date":"2025-12-28T11:35:36","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T05:50:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onlinepeoplesnews.com\/?p=2149"},"modified":"2025-12-28T11:35:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T05:50:36","slug":"a-caribbean-crisis-u-s-seizure-of-venezuelan-tankers-sparks-fears-of-new-blockade-and-un-condemnation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onlinepeoplesnews.com\/?p=2149","title":{"rendered":"A Caribbean Crisis: U.S. Seizure of Venezuelan Tankers Sparks Fears of “New Blockade” and UN Condemnation"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0Washington’s aggressive maritime pursuit, denounced as “international piracy” by Caracas, escalates tensions and draws global rebuke, raising alarms over resource control and sovereignty.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A high-stakes maritime drama is unfolding in the Caribbean Sea, threatening to spiral into a broader international conflict. The United States, in a significant escalation of its pressure campaign against Venezuela, is actively pursuing and seizing Venezuelan oil tankers in international waters. The actions, which Caracas condemns as outright “international piracy,” have sparked an emergency meeting at the United Nations Security Council and drawn sharp criticism from global powers, framing a classic struggle over natural resources and national sovereignty.<\/p>\n

The “Dark Fleet” Chase and Washington’s Justification<\/strong><\/p>\n

The spotlight is on the U.S. Coast Guard, whose role has rapidly expanded from domestic security to what appears to be an international enforcement arm. In recent weeks, U.S. forces have confirmed the seizure of at least two tankers\u2014the\u00a0Skipper<\/em>\u00a0on December 10 and the\u00a0Centuries<\/em>\u00a0on December 20\u2014and are in active pursuit of a third, the\u00a0Bella 1<\/em>.<\/p>\n

U.S. officials, speaking anonymously to outlets like CNN, label these vessels part of a “dark fleet” used by Venezuela to evade sweeping American sanctions. They claim the ships sail under false flags and are subject to U.S. court seizure orders. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated the\u00a0Centuries<\/em>\u00a0was a “sanctioned vessel,” though analysts note it does not appear on official U.S. sanctions lists. This discrepancy has fueled fears that Washington’s net may be widening to target\u00a0any<\/em>\u00a0Venezuelan oil shipment, not just the 30 vessels previously sanctioned.<\/p>\n

The official U.S. justification has centered on national security and the fight against drug trafficking. Before the UN, U.S. representative Mike Waltz framed the operations as part of a “non-international armed conflict” aimed at strangling the finances of the “Cartel of the Suns,” an organization Washington designates as a terrorist group and alleges is linked to the government of President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.<\/p>\n

Venezuela’s Fierce Rejection and Legal Counteroffensive<\/strong><\/p>\n

Venezuela\u2019s response has been one of furious defiance. Vice President Delcy Rodr\u00edguez denounced the seizures as “theft and hijacking,” vowing to take “all appropriate actions” through the UN and other global bodies. At the emergency Security Council session, Venezuelan diplomat Samuel Moncada delivered a blistering critique, accusing the U.S. of imposing a “colonial system” and executing “the greatest extortion known in our history.”<\/p>\n

He cut to the heart of the matter, stating, “It’s not drugs, it’s not security, it’s not freedom; it is oil, it’s the mines, it’s the land.”<\/p>\n

Domestically, Venezuela’s National Assembly is considering a new law that would impose prison sentences of up to 20 years for anyone supporting or participating in acts of “piracy” or blockades against the nation\u2014a clear message to external and internal actors.<\/p>\n

Global Condemnation and the “Resource War” Specter<\/strong><\/p>\n

The U.S. actions have not occurred in a diplomatic vacuum. The UN Security Council meeting revealed significant international unease.<\/p>\n