Venezuela Accuses US of Extortion Over Oil Tanker Seizures at UN Security Council
At a United Nations Security Council emergency session, Venezuela accused the United States of the greatest extortion over the seizure of two Venezuelan oil tankers, stating that the action violates international law.
The two tankers were seized off the Venezuelan coast earlier this month, and the US is pursuing a third Venezuelan oil tanker. On 16 December, President Trump ordered a naval blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. The US has stated it will keep or sell the crude oil and the seized vessels.
The United States has deployed about 15,000 troops, along with aircraft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, and amphibious ships to the Caribbean with the stated aim of stopping the flow of fentanyl and cocaine to the US. In recent months, the US has targeted more than 20 vessels in the Pacific and the Caribbean, resulting in at least 90 deaths. Experts have raised concerns that these strikes could violate laws of armed conflict.
Venezuela's UN envoy, Samuel Moncada, condemned the US actions, alleging that the US is pillaging, looting, and recolonising Venezuela and has no jurisdiction in the Caribbean. In response, US Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz questioned the legitimacy of Venezuelan President Maduro and framed the oil sales as enabling narcoterrorist activities.
Russia and China also condemned the US actions. Russia's UN envoy, Vassily Nebenzia, called the US activities illegal destruction of civilian vessels and warned that it could serve as a template for future force against Latin American states. China's envoy, Sun Lei, urged parties to halt escalation.
