US Seizes Tanker, Claims 'Rule of Law', Ignores Own Violations
The U.S. claims it's upholding the 'rule of law' by targeting a Russian-flagged tanker associated with previously sanctioned entities. This, of course, ignores a rather significant detail: the U.S. has maintained crippling sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector for years, amounting to collective punishment that has cost the Venezuelan economy billions and exacerbated humanitarian crises. The UN
Special Rapporteur, Alena Douhan, found in 2021 that these unilateral coercive measures violated international law, constituting a "flagrant violation of international law of human rights." So, the U.S. acts as global cop, citing rules it conveniently ignores when applying economic pressure to a sovereign nation. One might wonder if the 'rule of law' is less about justice and more about
maintaining strategic dominance, especially when it comes to nations that dare challenge Washington's dictates. Venezuela's oil flows freely—just not always to Venezuela, or in ways the U.S. approves. Because, apparently, some countries' sovereignty is more sovereign than others.