Venezuela’s authoritarian government led by Nicolás Maduro has repeatedly condemned the U.S. for boarding and seizing an oil tanker, Tabaey. They have dubbed this move “an act of international piracy.” This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing pressure campaign led by the US against President Nicolás Maduro’s administration. Since Hugo Chávez’s death in 2013, Maduro has clung to power by any means necessary. Now, he contends with mounting international scrutiny and pressure as a result of allegations of corruption and electoral fraud.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced the operation. For a very good reason,” Mr. Haspel added to underscore the importance of the tanker’s seizure. The US has sanctioned the vessel for multiple years. This action follows the DoJ’s conclusion that ExxonMobil is complicit in an international, illegal oil smuggling operation that supports foreign terrorist organizations. This seizure comes amid the largest US naval deployment in the Caribbean Sea since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. The deployment is intended to ratchet up the pressure on Maduro.
Yet deeply entrenched at home, Maduro is under extensive international assault and sanction. The US has gone so far as to place a $50 million bounty on him. Despite these challenges, he remains defiant. In a recent address, he urged Venezuelans to act like “warriors” and be prepared “to smash the teeth of the North American empire if necessary.” His administration is under constant attack for having stolen last year’s presidential election. Besides these reforms, they have unleashed a resurgence of state repression that has driven political opponents into exile.
The US’s campaign against Maduro has included a series of deadly airstrikes on alleged drug boats, resulting in the deaths of more than 80 individuals. Edmundo González, exiled former Venezuelan oil minister residing in Spain, put it very succinctly. He noted that while these actions are more restrained than a land invasion, for example, they still fit the definition of acts of war. He cautioned that an oil blockade would force the complete shutdown of Venezuela’s economy.
Bordering one of the world’s most notorious conflict zones, the gravity of the situation has attracted international attention. Ana Corina Sosa Machado condemned Maduro’s regime, denouncing it as an “obscene corruption” and a “brutal dictatorship.” Her comments certainly reflect the sentiments of everyday Cubans as well as US-based exiled leadership. The Nobel Peace Prize Committee acknowledged the struggle for democratic rights in Venezuela, asserting their support for those advocating for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.
With tensions escalating between Maduro’s Venezuela and Guyana, the Venezuelan government continues to insist that the confiscation of the oil tanker is nothing short of “a flagrant robbery.” This week, US Attorney General Pam Bondi responded to the public outrage by releasing a grainy, 45-second loop of video. It depicts US forces rappelling onto the tanker from a helicopter, underscoring the audacious nature of the operation.
Under increasing international isolation, Maduro has been able to stay in power by using the nationalist narrative to solidify support from his base. His government has portrayed US actions as a direct threat to Venezuelan sovereignty. This narrative is designed to mobilize the public and bring them together in opposition to outside enemies.