Venezuela accuses US of ‘extortion’ over seizure of oil tankers

Venezuela has accused the United States of the “greatest extortion” during an emergency session of the UN Security Council in New York.

Washington’s seizure of two Venezuelan oil tankers was “worse than piracy”, Venezuela’s ambassador to the UN said.

The emergency Security Council meeting was called to discuss the seizure of the tankers, which took place off the coast of Venezuela earlier this month.

The United States also said it was seeking a third Venezuelan tanker.

President Trump accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of running a drug cartel and said gangs have operated with impunity for too long.

On December 16, Trump ordered a naval blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.

The US president said the United States would keep or sell the crude oil it took, as well as the ships themselves.

The United States has increased its military presence in the Pacific and Caribbean seas in recent months, sending 15,000 troops and a range of aircraft carriers and warships to the region.

It is the largest deployment to the region since the United States invaded Panama in 1989, and the stated goal is to stop the flow of fentanyl and cocaine into the United States.

The United States has carried out strikes against what it claims are Venezuelan drug trafficking boats, targeting more than 20 vessels and killing at least 100 people.

Some experts say the strikes could violate laws governing armed conflict.

Venezuela’s envoy to the UN said the United States was subjecting his country to the “greatest extortion” in its history.

Speaking at the UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday, Samuel Moncada said that “we are in the presence of a power that is acting outside of international law, demanding that Venezuelans leave our country and hand it over.”

Regarding the U.S. seizure of Venezuelan oil, he added: “We are talking about pillaging, plundering and recolonization of Venezuela.

“The United States government does not have jurisdiction in the Caribbean.”

Referring to Venezuela’s oil industry, he said: “What does this have to do with drugs?

In response, US Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz told the Security Council that the US did not recognize Mr Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela.

“Maduro’s ability to sell Venezuelan oil allows him to fraudulently claim power and carry out his narcoterrorist activities,” Mr. Waltz said.

During a visit to a trade fair in Caracas, President Maduro said that “the Security Council provides massive support to Venezuela.”

Russia and China have accused the United States of intimidation and aggression.

The United States was “illegally destroying” civilian ships in the Caribbean Sea, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia told the UN meeting.

He warned that other countries could be next.

U.S. actions against Venezuelan ships, he said, constitute “a model for future acts of force against Latin American states.”

Meanwhile, China’s UN envoy Sun Lei called on the United States to “immediately end relevant actions and avoid further escalation of tensions.”