On December 12, 2025, at 10:27 AM, Venezuelan President Maduro likened the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off the country's coast to "Caribbean pirates," stating, "Their masks have officially fallen." This remark was made during a public event organized by his party in the capital, Caracas.
On December 12, 2025, at 10:27
Venezuelan President Maduro likened the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of the country to "Caribbean piracy," stating, "Their masks have officially fallen."
In a speech at a public event organized by his party in the capital, Caracas, President Nicolas Maduro addressed the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast.
Emphasizing that the true intentions of the U.S. towards Venezuela have been revealed, Maduro stated:
"Their masks have officially fallen. A new era of maritime piracy has begun across the Caribbean. Claims about Tren de Aragua, drug organizations, and the war on drugs have been completely debunked. What occurred was truly an illegal and criminal act. In a peaceful region, like Caribbean pirates, a commercial private vessel was surrounded, soldiers were deployed, it was forcibly detained, and the ship was stolen."
Maduro noted that the U.S. seized the vessel not off the coast of Venezuela, but in the Atlantic Ocean, north of the coasts of Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada.
"They have invented new piracy and crime in the Caribbean"
Claiming that the U.S. kidnapped and plundered the ship and stole Venezuelan oil, Maduro said, "The ship was carrying sailors, commercial goods, and 2,000 barrels of oil, and the payment was received by the Venezuelan state because payment had been made in advance. These individuals were forcibly detained, and their whereabouts are unknown. They stole the ship and invented new piracy and crime in the Caribbean."
Maduro emphasized that Venezuela's commercial rights in the Caribbean region will be protected, stating, "For this reason, Venezuela completely rejects this criminal act of piracy carried out across the Caribbean. I have given all necessary instructions to protect our diplomatic, commercial, and legal rights."
Highlighting the importance of maintaining peace in the Caribbean region, Maduro remarked:
"No to war for oil. We defeated the Tren de Aragua group in Venezuela, eliminating them while holding the constitution in our hands. The imperialists do not want to pay for Venezuela's oil. Venezuela will defend its sovereignty over its natural resources. The dominant groups in the U.S. want to incite a war in South America. They want to drag the American people into another war for oil."
Venezuela accuses the U.S. of "theft"
U.S. President Trump announced yesterday that they had seized a tanker carrying oil off the coast of Venezuela. Trump stated that they had seized the tanker "for good reason" and would hold onto it.
In previous statements, Trump had indicated that they could conduct land attacks against Venezuela and that these attacks would begin "soon."
Venezuela has characterized the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off its coast as "open theft" and announced that it would take this matter to international authorities.
Source: www.denizhaber.com