The United States seized a large oil tanker near Venezuela, raising tensions between the two countries. President Donald Trump said the ship was the biggest tanker the US had ever taken. A video from US Attorney General Pam Bondi showed armed troops dropping from a helicopter and taking control of the vessel.
Bondi said the tanker moved sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran through an illegal network. Venezuela quickly condemned the action and called it an act of piracy. US media said the tanker was heading to Cuba before the Coast Guard stopped it.
This incident came as Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado prepared to speak in Oslo. She has lived in hiding for months due to threats. Her daughter read her award speech and urged citizens to resist what she called “state terrorism” by President Nicolas Maduro. Trump warned Maduro not to arrest Machado if she returned home.
The United States has increased pressure on Maduro in recent months. It sent warships to the Caribbean and struck several boats accused of drug trafficking. Trump said Maduro’s rule may soon end. Maduro claims the United States wants regime change and control of Venezuela’s large oil reserves.
