Amid rising maritime tensions in the Caribbean, Russia has thrown its weight behind Venezuela following a series of aggressive maneuvers by the United States, which have included vessel seizures and targeted strikes on alleged smuggling operations. The support arrives at a moment of increasing geopolitical brinkmanship, as Venezuela accuses Washington of orchestrating a de facto economic siege.
In a high-level diplomatic call, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Venezuelan counterpart Yvan Gil denounced what they described as destabilizing U.S. behavior. They warned that the American-led operations — under the pretext of combating narcotics trafficking — pose a direct threat to regional stability and international maritime law.
The U.S. crackdown has included the recent capture of two Venezuelan oil tankers and the pursuit of a third vessel. Washington justifies the interdictions as part of a broader effort to disrupt networks it alleges are linked to “narco-terrorism” and illicit state financing. However, critics argue that the operations lack transparency, citing the absence of verifiable evidence and the mounting civilian death toll — including local fishermen caught in the crossfire.
At the heart of the dispute lies Venezuela’s state-run oil industry. The U.S. has long opposed the Maduro administration’s nationalization of energy assets, with senior officials now openly referencing intentions to reverse that control. President Trump’s recent statements hint at a broader ambition: to reclaim Venezuelan oil assets that were previously under foreign corporate control.
Caracas has fired back, branding the seizures as “economic warfare” and labeling the maritime operations as acts of “piracy.” The government insists the U.S. is laying the groundwork for regime change under the guise of counterterrorism and counternarcotics initiatives.
Moscow, already embroiled in its own geopolitical standoff over Ukraine, sees the U.S. posture as part of a broader trend of Western overreach. Both Russia and China are backing Venezuela’s appeal to the United Nations Security Council, where they hope to spotlight what they deem an unlawful interference in the sovereign affairs of a fellow UN member.
As the UNSC prepares to convene, the Caribbean has become more than a shipping lane — it’s now a flashpoint in a global confrontation over resource control, international law, and the balance of power in the Western Hemisphere.
