Venezuelan President Maduro Issues Warning as U.S. Seizes Oil Tanker

Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro delivered a fiery warning on Wednesday, urging his countrymen to “stand like warriors… ready to smash the teeth of the North American empire” as tensions with the United States reached new heights following the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast.

Brandishing the sword of Simón Bolívar at a rally in Caracas, Maduro struck a defiant pose while paradoxically singing and dancing to Bobby McFerrin’s 1988 hit “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” His militant rhetoric sharply contrasted with the lighthearted music as he called on Venezuelans to remain vigilant during this escalating diplomatic crisis.

“In these times, things have to be different, but we must always stand like warriors, women and men,” Maduro told supporters. “With one eye wide open – and the other one too – working, producing, building, keeping everything running, and ready to smash the teeth of the North American empire if necessary, from Bolivar’s homeland.”

The confrontational remarks came the same day President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces had seized an oil tanker near Venezuelan waters. According to Attorney General Pam Bondi, the vessel was intercepted for allegedly transporting oil from Venezuela and Iran in violation of international sanctions.

Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry quickly condemned the action in strong terms, describing it as “a brazen robbery and an act of international piracy.” The ministry accused the Trump administration of pursuing a strategy to “take Venezuelan oil without paying anything in return,” framing the seizure as part of a broader pattern of American resource exploitation.

In its official statement, Venezuela drew parallels between the tanker seizure and what it claims was the unlawful loss of Citgo Petroleum Corp., which Caracas maintains was taken through “fraudulent judicial mechanisms.” The Venezuelan government asserted that Washington’s true motivation has never been concerns about migration, drug trafficking, democracy, or human rights, but rather control over “our natural resources, our oil, our energy.”

The statement also suggested the U.S. action was timed to distract from the failure of political negotiations in Oslo involving opposition groups seeking Maduro’s removal. The Venezuelan government vowed to take its complaint to international bodies while promising to defend the country’s sovereignty and control over its energy assets.

This dramatic escalation follows months of U.S. maritime operations that Washington characterizes as targeting vessels used by drug traffickers. According to Reuters reporting, these operations have resulted in more than 80 deaths since September and triggered heightened surveillance and security measures in affected coastal communities.

The tanker seizure represents a significant intensification of U.S. pressure on Venezuela’s oil sector, which remains the country’s primary economic lifeline despite years of sanctions and declining production. Venezuela possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves, making control of these resources a critical factor in the ongoing power struggle.

Just weeks earlier, Maduro had appeared at another mass rally in Caracas wielding Bolívar’s sword, warning of “imperialist aggression” after Trump indicated the U.S. would “very soon” begin intercepting suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers on land. When asked if he would consider deploying U.S. troops to Venezuela, Trump responded, “No, I don’t rule out that, I don’t rule out anything.”

Despite the escalating tensions, Trump has left the door open for potential dialogue. “We may be having some conversations with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out. They would like to talk,” he told reporters over the weekend.

The confrontation occurs against a backdrop of regional instability, with U.S. strikes across the Caribbean and eastern Pacific having destroyed dozens of vessels that American officials link to Venezuelan and Colombian criminal organizations.

For Maduro, who continues to embrace the symbolism of Bolívar’s sword, the situation represents what he calls a decisive moment for Venezuela’s sovereignty in the face of external pressure.