The Guardian • 12/11/2025 • Last cited 12/14/2025

US forces have seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, escalating Donald Trump's campaign against President Nicolás Maduro, who has labeled the seizure as "an act of international piracy," according to The Guardian. The Trump administration is under scrutiny for a series of attacks on boats in the region, which have resulted in at least 87 deaths since early September.