NGO, Venezuelan officials condemn oil tanker seizure

THE American Association of Jurists (AAJ), an NGO with consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), has "categorically rejected" the US seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker and the "kidnapping of its crew."

A statement from AAJ on December 11 said the seizure on December 10 coincided with the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

"It should be noted that it has only been reported that the illegal act was perpetrated off the coast of Venezuela, without specifying whether it was within the territorial sea or in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of that country," the statement said.

"The lack of information regarding the condition of the crew members of the oil tanker is especially alarming. The released images reveal a military operation with helicopters and the boarding carried out by heavily armed agents."

AAJ, which comprises jurists from the Americas, added that the "publicly confessed act" has not even been accompanied by an explanation of the reasons given by the government of the aggressor country.

On December 10, US President Donald Trump announced the seizure of the coast of Venezuela, adding that the US intended to keep the oil.

A subsequent post by the US Attorney General on X (formerly Twitter) added that for many years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the US due to its involvement in "an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organisations."

The US Department of Homeland Security has shared a video of the seizure, accompanied by the post, "KNOCKOUT. If you threaten our nation, or break the law, there is no place on land or sea where we won't find you."

The AAJ added that the US action violated international laws.

The seizure, according to the NGO, also violated the UN Charter, "since Article 2.4 prohibits the use or threat of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state."

"That the action represents a further escalation in the unilateral aggressions of the US against the Caribbean country, and constitutes an act of war and provocation, in the search for an excuse for the long-anticipated invasion, which pursues the sole and avowed objective of appropriating its oil resources."

AAJ urged the member countries of the UN, the Organization of American States, CELAC, Caricom, and UNASUR, to demand that the US immediately cease "its acts of aggression against Venezuela and the other countries of the Caribbean."

The NGO also called for the immediate proof of life of the people who make up the crew of the illegally seized vessel, and their release in a safe context.

It further called for the restitution of the ship belonging to the Venezuelan people.

The statement was shared on various media outlets, including TeleSUR.

On his weekly TV programme Con El Mazo Dando, on the night of December 10, Venezuelan Justice Minister Diosdado Cabello accused Trinidad and Guyana of letting the US use them to launch an attack on Venezuela.

He remarked that the two neighbouring countries want to get into a fight with Venezuela.

Cabello added, "Take it as you want. Guyana is truly Venezuelan territory. Trinidad has always been Venezuelan territory."

In response to the oil tanker seizure, the Venezuelan government denounced and rejected it on the night of December 10, saying that it constituted "a brazen robbery and an act of international piracy."

"This is not the first time he has admitted it; during his 2024 campaign, he openly stated that his objective has always been to take Venezuelan oil without paying anything in return, making clear that the policy of aggression against our country responds to a deliberate plan to plunder our energy resources," a media statement said.

"This new criminal act adds to the theft of Citgo, an important strategic asset belonging to all Venezuelans, seized through fraudulent judicial mechanisms and outside any legal norm."

The statement was also shared on Telegram by Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez.

"Humanity is awakening and fighting against the imperial abuses of the north, as demonstrated in numerous and well-attended protest demonstrations in various US states and European cities," the statement said.

"The Venezuelan people also gave a resounding demonstration in the streets of Venezuela to defend the peace of our country. Under these circumstances, the true reasons for the prolonged aggression against Venezuela have finally been exposed. It is not migration. It is not drug trafficking. It is not a democracy. It is not human rights."

The statement stressed that the aggression centred on Venezuela's natural resources.

The Maduro-led administration charged that "this act of piracy" seeks to distract attention and cover up the "resounding failure of the political show" in Oslo, Norway, earlier in the day.

The statement added that the "show" exposed the manipulations and failures of those who have tried for years, without success, to achieve "regime change" through violence and Western support.

It was referring to the ceremony honouring the Nobel Peace Prize winner and Venezuelan opposition politician Maria Corina Machado, which took place earlier on December 10.

Her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, accepted the prize on her behalf.

Meanwhile, on December 11, Machado, who had been in hiding since January 9, made her first public appearance in Norway's capital, Oslo.

Machado backed the US actions in the Southern Caribbean, including the seizure of the tanker.

Several media organisations, including AP and BBC, reported on her first public appearance from a hotel.

While Machado did not provide details about how she fled Venezuela, she acknowledged that the journey was difficult and risky.

She also acknowledged receiving help from the US government.

A Venezuelan Supreme Court disqualified Macahdo from seeking election in 2024, accusing her of being involved in the "corruption plot" orchestrated by another opposition figure, Juan Guaido, who is now in exile.

Machado has been highly critical of the Chavista government.

She had repeatedly accused the Maduro regime of being funded by criminal activities such as drugs and human trafficking, a claim he has repeatedly denied.