UN Security Council Calls Emergency Session
The United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency meeting on Tuesday, December 23 at 3 p.m. ET to address Venezuela’s formal protest against a US oil blockade, the council presidency announced on December 18. The session, requested by Caracas, comes amid an intensifying standoff over energy shipments and international law.
Escalating Tensions in the Caribbean
In a December 17 statement, Venezuela’s Permanent Mission to the UN decried "US aggression" targeting its oil tankers, accusing US President Donald Trump of violating Venezuela’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Caracas is demanding that the Security Council take measures to uphold international law.
Over recent months, the United States has increased its military presence in the Caribbean, citing a crackdown on drug trafficking with a focus on Venezuelan routes. Venezuelan officials contend the deployment is a pressure campaign aiming for regime change. US aircraft have conducted flybys off the coast, and strikes on vessels allegedly linked to narcotics have resulted in over 90 casualties.
Blockade and Counterclaims
Last week, the US seized a Venezuelan tanker and imposed sanctions on additional ships. On December 17, President Trump announced a blockade on "sanctioned oil vessels" traveling to or from Venezuela, accusing the Maduro government of using oil revenues to fund "drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder and kidnapping" and claiming Venezuela had stolen American oil.
Venezuelan authorities dismissed these allegations as groundless, with the Defense Ministry labeling US actions a form of "crude piracy" designed to seize Venezuela’s natural resources.
International Reactions
The Russian Foreign Ministry urged Washington to avoid "fatal mistakes" that could destabilize the Western Hemisphere, voicing support for Venezuela’s defense of its national interests. Moscow emphasized that Latin America should remain a zone of peace.
The upcoming Security Council meeting will test whether global powers can bridge divides in addressing sovereignty disputes and energy security, or if the standoff will push the region toward deeper conflict.
Reference(s):
UNSC to meet on Venezuela as Caracas denounces U.S. oil blockade
cgtn.com
