Venezuela has vehemently accused the United States of “the greatest extortion” in its history, following the seizure of two Venezuelan oil tankers. The accusations were leveled at an emergency session of the UN Security Council held in New York on Tuesday.

The Venezuelan Ambassador to the UN described Washington’s actions as “worse than piracy,” as the Security Council convened to discuss the seizure which occurred earlier this month off the Venezuelan coast. The US has also indicated it is tracking a third Venezuelan oil tanker.

President Donald Trump has long accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of leading a drug cartel, alleging that criminal gangs have operated with impunity within the country for too long. On December 16th, President Trump ordered a naval blockade targeting all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, stating the US intends to keep or sell both the crude oil and the vessels themselves.

To enforce this, the US has deployed a substantial military force – approximately 15,000 troops – along with aircraft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, and amphibious assault ships to the Caribbean. This represents the largest US military deployment to the region since the 1989 invasion of Panama, with the stated goal of disrupting the flow of fentanyl and cocaine into the United States.

The US campaign has also involved targeting over 20 vessels in the Pacific and Caribbean in recent months, resulting in at least 90 fatalities, according to reports. Some international legal experts suggest these actions may be in violation of laws governing armed conflict.

Speaking at the UN, Venezuela’s envoy, Samuel Moncada, asserted, “We are in the presence of a power that acts outside of international law, demanding that Venezuelans vacate our country and hand it over.” He further characterized the seizure of Venezuelan oil as “pillaging, looting and recolonisation,” and insisted, “The government of the United States does not have jurisdiction in the Caribbean.” He questioned the link between the oil seizures and the fight against drugs, asking, “What does that have to do with drugs?”

US Ambassador to the UN, Michael Waltz, responded by reiterating that the US does not recognize Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. “Maduro’s ability to sell Venezuela’s oil enables his fraudulent claims to power and his narco-terrorist activities,” Waltz stated.

President Maduro, during a visit to a trade fair in Caracas, claimed the Security Council was offering “overwhelming support” to Venezuela. However, Russia and China strongly condemned the US actions, accusing them of bullying and aggression.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s ambassador to the UN, argued that the US was “illegally destroying” civilian vessels in the Caribbean and warned that other nations could be targeted next. He described the actions against Venezuelan vessels as “a template for future acts of force against Latin American states.” China’s envoy, Sun Lei, echoed these concerns, calling on the US to “immediately halt relevant actions and avoid further escalation of tensions.”

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