Venezuela passes anti-piracy law following US seizure of oil supertanker

Venezuela’s National Assembly, dominated by the ruling party, unanimously passed legislation on December 23 authorising prison terms of up to 20 years for individuals accused of promoting or financing activities the government defines as piracy, blockades, or other international crimes.

The measure follows recent US actions targeting Venezuelan oil shipments. Earlier this month, the US Coast Guard seized a sanctioned supertanker carrying Venezuelan crude and, according to US officials, attempted over the weekend to intercept two additional vessels linked to Venezuela.

Those interceptions represent Washington’s most forceful action against state oil company PDVSA since the US Treasury Department sanctioned two Rosneft subsidiaries that had been trading Venezuelan oil in 2020, a move that forced PDVSA to sharply reduce production and exports. PDVSA has been under US sanctions since 2019.

The legislation, formally titled the “Law to Guarantee Freedom of Navigation and Commerce Against Piracy, Blockades, and Other International Illicit Acts,” was introduced on Monday by pro-government lawmaker Giuseppe Alessandrello. At the close of Tuesday’s session, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said the bill would be sent to the executive branch for final approval and would come into force once published in the Official Gazette.

The vote comes amid escalating pressure from Washington on the government of President Nicolas Maduro. In recent months, the US has increased its military presence in the Caribbean and carried out strikes on boats it says are involved in drug trafficking off Venezuela’s coasts, killing dozens of people. US authorities argue the operations are part of broader efforts to combat sanctions evasion and narcotics trafficking.

Maduro has rejected that explanation, accusing the United States of seeking to sabotage Venezuela’s economy and force him from power.

During the session, Rodriguez also sharply criticised Venezuela’s political opposition. He accused opposition figures of encouraging sanctions against the country and claimed they had “stolen, plundered, and bowed down to US imperialism.”

He added that they were “happy with the aggressive actions currently taking place in the Caribbean Sea.” His remarks came as the opposition leader, who has been in hiding for months, travelled to Oslo earlier in December to receive her Nobel Peace Prize.

By Tamilla Hasanova