Venezuela presents formal letter to UN accusing US of "maritime piracy"
In a letter to the UN Security Council, Caracas alleged that US military units “forcibly boarded a private vessel on the high seas, subdued and kidnapped its crew, and illegally seized a shipment of Venezuelan oil.” The Venezuelan government said the shipment was part of a “regular commercial operation” fully compliant with international law.
Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, addressing Slovenian Ambassador Samuel Žbogar, president of the Security Council, called the seizure part of a “sustained policy of coercion and aggression” by the US, carried out through “unilateral, illegal, and illegitimate coercive measures.” The letter cited Article 101 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which defines piracy, arguing that the US action violated protections for freedom of navigation and lawful international trade.
Venezuela demanded the immediate release of the detained crew, return of the confiscated oil, and cessation of interference in its legitimate trade. The letter also called on the Security Council to condemn the act, ensure safe navigation, and prevent piracy from being used as a tool of political coercion. Caracas further requested written confirmation that no Security Council resolution authorizes such actions against Venezuela or its oil trade.
The incident marks a new escalation in US-Venezuela tensions amid a broader US campaign targeting Venezuela, including military deployments in the Caribbean. The US has justified the seizure, claiming the vessels were part of an “illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations,” transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.
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