Venezuela on Saturday accused the United States of illegally boarding one of its fishing vessels, in the latest sign of escalating tensions between the two countries.
Foreign Minister Yván Gil said personnel from a U.S. Navy destroyer intercepted a Venezuelan tuna boat carrying nine fishermen while it was operating in Venezuelan waters. Eighteen armed U.S. servicemen allegedly remained on board for eight hours, preventing communication and normal fishing activities, before the vessel was released under Venezuelan naval escort.
Speaking at a press conference, Gil described the action as “illegal and hostile,” stressing that the boat had authorization from the Ministry of Fisheries. He presented photographs of the incident and said a video filmed by the fishermen also showed U.S. personnel on the vessel alongside the warship.
“Those who give the order to carry out such provocations are seeking an incident to justify a military escalation in the Caribbean,” Gil warned, vowing that Venezuela would defend its sovereignty against any provocation.
The U.S. government has not yet commented on the allegation.
The incident comes weeks after President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of warships in the Caribbean, citing operations against Latin American drug cartels. On Wednesday, Trump claimed U.S. forces had attacked a drug-laden vessel that had departed Venezuela, killing 11 alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang. Washington has provided no evidence for the claim.
Venezuela denounced the killings as extrajudicial, with Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello calling the U.S. account “a tremendous lie” and suggesting the incident may be tied to the disappearance of civilians in a coastal region unconnected to drug trafficking.
The Trump administration has accused President Nicolás Maduro of running a cartel to flood the U.S. with drugs and recently doubled the bounty for his capture from $25 million to $50 million.
Although Washington has given no indication of planning a ground incursion with the more than 4,000 troops stationed in the region, Caracas has called on citizens to enlist in militias to support its armed forces. On Saturday, the government urged volunteers to report to military barracks for training.