Trump says ‘we keep the oil’ as US seizes tanker off Venezuela

The US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on Dec 10, ratcheting up tensions with Caracas in a move that also raised oil prices.

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“We've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela. Large tanker, very large, largest one ever, actually, and other things are happening,” said Mr Trump, who has been pressuring Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down.

Asked what would happen with the oil, Mr Trump said: “We keep it, I guess.”

The Venezuelan government, in a statement, accused the US of “blatant theft” and described the seizure as “an act of international piracy”. It said it would denounce the incident before international bodies.

Mr Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of US military intervention in Venezuela.

The seizure is the first of a Venezuelan oil cargo amid US sanctions that have been in force since 2019. It is also the Trump administration’s first known action against a Venezuela-related tanker since he ordered a massive military buildup in the region.

The US has already carried out several strikes against suspected drug vessels, which have raised concerns among lawmakers and legal experts.