Nicolas Maduro slams Trump admin's 'naval piracy' as White House confirms US will 'seize the oil' from Venezuelan tanker

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro sharply condemned the US seizure of an oil tanker from his country on Thursday (Dec 11), calling the move an act of "naval piracy" that has pushed tensions with Washington to a dangerous new level. His statement comes as the White House confirmed that the seized tanker is being brought to a US port and said the United States "does intend to seize the oil" on board the Venezuelan vessel. The tanker was intercepted off Venezuela’s coast in a dramatic raid in which American forces rappelled from a helicopter onto the deck.

Maduro slams Trump's 'naval piracy'

Slamming the US President Donald Trump administration's seizure of the Venezuelan oil tanker, Maduro said, "They kidnapped the crew, stole the ship and have inaugurated a new era, the era of criminal naval piracy in the Caribbean." Speaking during a televised event, he vowed that Venezuela would "secure all ships to guarantee the free trade of its oil around the world."

Venezuela's foreign ministry also strongly denounced and condemned what it said was "blatant theft and an act of international piracy."

Russia’s Vladimir Putin offered verbal support for Maduro in a phone call Thursday, though Russia’s capacity to assist is limited as its military remains tied down in Ukraine.

US to seize the oil?

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the press that the United States intends to take possession of the oil on board. "The vessel will go to a US port, and the United States does intend to seize the oil," she said.

Defending the seizure, she said, "We're not going to stand by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black-market oil, the proceeds of which will fuel narco-terrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world." US officials say the tanker was part of an illicit network used to move oil for Venezuela and Iran in violation of sanctions.

Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, in a statement, said that the tanker seizure operation was aimed at the Maduro "regime". Earlier, she told a congressional hearing that the tanker operation was "pushing back on a regime that is systematically covering and flooding our country with deadly drugs".

The seizure comes amid a major US naval buildup in the Caribbean and a series of lethal US strikes on alleged drug boats that have killed nearly 90 people. Maduro says the United States is laying the groundwork for regime change.