American seizure of tanker off the coast of Venezuela: where is the boundary of international law

The US seized an oil tanker in international waters after it left Venezuela. This was reported by Reuters. The incident has already caused a sharp reaction from Caracas and cast doubt on the legal framework of Washington’s actions outside its jurisdiction.

The vessel in question is under the Panamanian flag, which, according to available data, was not under American sanctions. This fact became the key and most controversial point of the story. Formally, the vessel did not fall under the restrictions previously announced by the US, making the seizure particularly sensitive from the perspective of international maritime law.

The Venezuelan authorities called the incident a “serious act of international piracy.” Official Caracas has already announced its intention to bring the issue to the UN Security Council. The diplomatic line is tough, without attempts to soften the wording.

This episode became the first such case after the decision of US President Donald Trump on December 16. At that time, the White House announced a full blockade of oil tankers heading to or leaving Venezuela. However, the presidential decree emphasized: the measures concern vessels under the sanction regime. The seized tanker formally does not fall under this definition.

The contrast is heightened when recalling the events of December 10. At that time, the US detained another vessel off the coast of Venezuela — it was indeed under sanctions and was sailing without a flag. In that case, Washington’s legal logic seemed more consistent and predictable.

The current incident changes the picture. It increases nervousness around the Venezuelan oil industry and its foreign economic ties. For foreign investors, this is an additional risk signal: even formal compliance with the rules no longer guarantees the safety of assets and logistics.

The situation is developing against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has already changed global approaches to sanctions, energy, and international law. In this context, US actions are perceived not as an isolated step, but as part of a broader and increasingly unpredictable geopolitical practice.

For Venezuela, the consequences are obvious: increased isolation, increased pressure, and further narrowing of maneuvering space in the global energy market. For the international community — another alarming question about where exactly today the boundary of the permissible in the open sea lies and who defines it.

It is such episodes that gradually form a new reality, in which economic decisions increasingly become tools of direct forceful influence, which directly affects global stability and trust between states. NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency