Venezuela’s parliament on Tuesday approved a measure criminalizing actions that could hinder navigation and commerce, including the seizure of oil tankers, following recent U.S. seizures of Venezuelan oil shipments in international waters.
Bill Follows Tanker Seizures
The bill, introduced, debated, and approved within two days in the National Assembly, comes after the U.S. seized two tankers carrying Venezuelan oil earlier this month. The seizures are part of a four-month pressure campaign led by U.S. President Donald Trump against Venezuela’s leader Nicolás Maduro.
The Trump administration has stated the tankers are part of a fleet Venezuela uses to circumvent U.S. economic sanctions. The legislative assembly did not publish drafts of the measure on Tuesday, either before or after its approval.
As read on the floor, the bill proposes fines and prison sentences of up to 20 years for anyone who promotes, requests, supports, finances, or participates in “acts of piracy, blockades or other international illegal acts” against commercial entities operating with Venezuela.
Opposition Supports U.S. Policy
Venezuela’s political opposition, including Nobel Peace laureate María Corina Machado, has voiced support for Trump’s policy, including the seizure of tankers. Both Machado and Trump have repeatedly asserted that Maduro’s time in power is limited.
The bill now awaits Maduro’s signature and also directs the executive branch to develop “incentives and mechanisms for economic, commercial and other protections” for entities doing business with Venezuela in the event of piracy, blockade, or other unlawful acts.
The U.S. Coast Guard seized the Panama-flagged vessel Centuries on Saturday, alleging it was part of the sanctioned cargo fleet. On Dec. 10, the U.S. Navy assisted in seizing another tanker, the Skipper, also registered in Panama.
Following the first seizure, Trump announced a “blockade” of Venezuela and demanded the return of assets seized from U.S. oil companies years ago, further justifying the blockade against sanctioned oil tankers.
UN Security Council Meeting
At an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council convened by Venezuela on Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz emphasized that sanctioned oil tankers “operate as the primary economic lifeline for Maduro and his illegitimate regime.”
“Maduro’s ability to sell Venezuela’s oil enables his fraudulent claim to power and his narco-terrorist activities,” Waltz said. “The United States will impose and enforce sanctions to the maximum extent to deprive Maduro of the resources he uses to fund Cártel de los Soles.”
Maduro was indicted in 2020 on narcoterrorism charges in the U.S. and accused of leading the Cártel de los Soles, which the Trump administration designated as a foreign terrorist organization last month. The term originated in the 1990s to describe high-ranking military officers involved in drug trafficking, and its use has since broadened to include other corrupt officials and illicit activities.
Venezuela’s UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada accused the U.S. of acting “outside international law” and its own domestic laws, alleging the U.S. seeks to remove Venezuelans from power and seize the country’s oil fields.
“What right does the United States government have to appropriate, to date, almost four million barrels of Venezuelan oil?” Moncada asked, referring to the cargo of the seized tankers. He described the alleged naval blockade as a military act intended to weaken Venezuela economically and politically.
Many countries expressed concern about potential violations of international maritime law and the UN Charter, which upholds the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all member nations. The U.S. actions received support from a few countries, including Panama and Argentina.
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