Venezuelan government rejects seizure of new vessel transporting oil

The Venezuelan government rejected the seizure of a new vessel transporting oil, it said in a statement on Saturday, describing it as a “serious act of international piracy,” after the United States seized another tanker near the coast of the South American country.

Venezuela “denounces and rejects the theft and hijacking of a new private vessel transporting oil, as well as the forced disappearance of its crew, committed by military personnel of the United States of America in international waters,” the statement added.

Caracas said that the actions will be reported to the United Nations Security Council, other multilateral organizations and governments.

U.S.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed on Saturday that the United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in international waters, in a move that comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.

It’s the second time in recent weeks that the United States has gone after a tanker near Venezuela amid a large U.S. military build-up in the region.