President Trump said on Monday that the US will “keep” the Venezuelan oil and two tankers that it seized off the coast of Venezuela as his administration is escalating a blockade on the country.
“We’re going to keep it. Maybe we’ll sell it. Maybe we’ll keep it. Maybe we’ll use it in the strategic reserves,” Trump told reporters on Monday after announcing new “Trump class” US Navy battleships. “We’re keeping the ships, also.”
So far, the US has seized two ships near Venezuela, and its forces attempted to capture a third, but it fled northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, which Trump said the US is still pursuing. One of the seized tankers was under US sanctions, but that doesn’t give the US the legal right to board and capture a vessel on the high seas.
Trump officials have used legalistic language to justify the seizures and forced transfer of the cargo — actions that amount to theft — in an apparent effort to obscure the fact that enforcing a blockade is traditionally considered an act of war, which would require congressional authorization under the US Constitution.
The second ship that the US seized, the Centuries, was carrying Venezuelan oil reportedly owned by a China-based company, and Beijing has strongly condemned the US seizure. “By arbitrarily seizing other countries’ vessels, the U.S. has seriously violated international law,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian.
“China stands against unilateral illicit sanctions that lack basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council, and against any move that violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, infringes upon other countries’ sovereignty and security, and constitutes unilateralism and bullying,” Lin added.
Russia has also backed Venezuela in the face of increasing US aggression against the country. On Monday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Sergey Lavrov spoke with his Venezuelan counterpart, Yvan Gil, and the two diplomats condemned recent US actions.
“The ministers expressed their deep concern over the escalation of Washington’s actions in the Caribbean Sea, which could have serious consequences for the region and threaten international shipping,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a readout of the call. “The Russian side reaffirmed its full support for and solidarity with the Venezuelan leadership and people in the current context.”
Trump and his top officials have made clear that their ultimate goal is the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, something Trump reaffirmed on Monday. When asked if he was trying to force Maduro out of power, Trump said, “Well, I think it probably would. I can’t tell that. That’s up to him what he wants to do. I think it’d be smart for him to do that.” The president has also repeatedly threatened to bomb “land” targets inside Venezuela.
