Tensions Rise Between Caracas and Washington After U.S. Seizes Venezuelan Tanker
Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela’s opposition leader, vowed to pave the way for political change in her country after secretly leaving Venezuela to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Friday. Her remarks came as the Trump administration in the United States seized a Venezuelan oil tanker near American waters, further escalating political and economic tensions in the region.
According to Reuters, the seizure of the tanker, named “Skipper,” marks the first such U.S. action since sanctions were imposed on Venezuelan oil in 2019. The vessel is now en route to the port of Houston, where its cargo will be transferred to smaller ships. At the same time, the Trump administration announced plans for more seizures to prevent the smuggling of sanctioned oil and introduced new sanctions against relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Reports indicate that the U.S. has increased its military presence in the southern Caribbean, and President Donald Trump has repeatedly emphasized the goal of removing Maduro during his re-election campaign. Washington accuses the Venezuelan government of drug trafficking, although Caracas strongly denies the allegations. Since the beginning of this year, the U.S. has launched more than 20 military operations in the Caribbean and Pacific against vessels suspected of smuggling, resulting in approximately 90 deaths, drawing concern from human rights organizations and members of the U.S. Congress.
Machado, who violated a ten-year travel ban to leave the country, said during her speech in Oslo, “Maduro will step down, with or without a deal.” She emphasized a peaceful transition and expressed strong gratitude for President Trump’s support. Machado is aligned with hardline U.S. factions that accuse Maduro’s government of ties to criminal groups, although some intelligence reports suggest skepticism about those claims within the U.S. agencies.
In response to the seizure of the tanker, the Venezuelan government branded the U.S. action as “blatant international piracy” and announced it would file a formal complaint with international bodies. Simultaneously, the Venezuelan parliament has begun proceedings to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, which is currently investigating alleged human rights violations in the country. In addition, Caracas has suspended repatriation flights for migrants from the U.S., although American officials stated that deportations will continue.
Analysts believe that these recent developments not only increase economic pressure on Venezuelans but also raise the risk of military confrontation between the two nations. The current crisis has once again brought the issue of political legitimacy in Caracas and the human cost of sanctions to the forefront of the international agenda.
