The Venezuelan National Assembly, which is controlled by the ruling party, unanimously approved a law on Tuesday providing for prison sentences of up to 20 years for anyone promoting or financing acts characterized as "piracy" or "blockades." This legislation comes as a direct response to recent actions by the United States against the country's oil exports.
Law for "freedom of navigation and trade"
The law, which also includes references to "other international crimes," was approved during an emergency session of the National Assembly in Caracas. The initiative followed Washington's moves against vessels carrying Venezuelan crude. The bill, titled the "Guarantee of Freedom of Navigation and Trade Law against Piracy, Blockades, and Other International Illegal Acts," was introduced on Monday by pro-government deputy Giuseppe Alessandrello. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez stated at the end of the session that the bill would be forwarded to the executive branch for ratification and will take effect once published in the country's Official Gazette.
Tanker seizures and escalating pressure
Earlier this month, the U.S. Coast Guard seized a sanctioned supertanker carrying Venezuelan crude. Additionally, according to American officials, an attempt was made over the weekend to intercept two more vessels linked to Venezuela. These moves are considered Washington's strongest blow against the state oil company PDVSA since 2020, when the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the company's former trading partners, two subsidiaries of Russia's Rosneft.
,Those sanctions had led to a significant reduction in production and exports. PDVSA has been under American sanctions since 2019. The U.S. government has increased pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in recent months, strengthening its military presence in the Caribbean. Simultaneously, it has carried out actions against vessels, claiming, without providing evidence, that they are involved in drug trafficking.
American authorities report that these operations are part of efforts to combat sanctions evasion and drug smuggling. On his part, Maduro maintains that the United States seeks to undermine the Venezuelan economy and overthrow him from power.
Fierce attack on the opposition
Rodriguez launched a fierce attack against the country's political opposition. He referred to its leader, who has been underground for months but traveled to Oslo earlier in December to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The President of the National Assembly accused the opposition of promoting sanctions, stating that they "stole, looted, and submitted to American imperialism," adding that they "rejoice in the aggressive actions currently taking place in the Caribbean Sea."
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