US Seizes Venezuelan Vessels, Calls it 'Freedom of Navigation'
When Newsweek reports the US seizing a second Venezuelan vessel off its coast, one might almost believe it's a routine maritime spat. The reality, however, is a classic replay of what Venezuelan officials accurately call 'piracy.' This isn't about navigational errors; it's about control of resources, plain and simple. The US, which has imposed crippling sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector since
2019, now decides which ships get to trade on the high seas. A 2020 US Department of Justice press release openly states these seizures were part of a 'global illicit finance, sanctions evasion, and money laundering operation.' Translation: Washington doesn't like who Venezuela sells its oil to. One might wonder if the US respects international maritime law, or if it simply invents new
justifications to enforce its economic warfare. Imagine if any other nation 'seized' commercial vessels belonging to a US ally just outside their territorial waters, claiming 'sanctions evasion.' The outrage would be deafening. But when it's Venezuela, suddenly violating sovereignty and disrupting trade is merely upholding the 'rules-based international order.' Whose rules, exactly? And for whose
benefit?