US seize oil tanker for Venezuela as Caracas condemn am as 'act of piracy'

US forces don seize one oil tanker for di coast of Venezuela, according to President Donald Trump, and dis don mark sharp escalation for di pressure wey Washington dey mount on top Nicolás Maduro govment.

"We don seize one tanker for di coast of Venezuela - one large tanker, very large, di largest one eva actually," Trump bin tell tori pipo for di White House.

As dem release a video of di seizure, Attorney General Pam Bondi describe di vessel as "crude oil tanker wey dem dey use to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran".

Caracas immediately condemn di action and call am act of "international piracy".

Earlier, President Maduro declare say Venezuela no go eva bicom "oil colony".

Di Trump administration dey accuse Venezuela say dem dey funnel hard drugs into di US and e don intensify effort to isolate President Maduro for recent months.

Venezuela na home to some of di world largest proven oil reserves, and dem don also accuse Washington say dem dey look for way to take tiff dia resources.

Brent crude prices bin go higher on Wednesday as news of di seizure bin wan cause short-term supply concerns. Sabi pipo warn say di move fit threaten shippers and further disrupt Venezuela oil exports.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who dey lead di US Department of Justice, say di Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the US Coast Guard bin join bodi for di seizure.

"For plenty years, di oil tanker bin don dey sanctioned by di United States due to involvement for one illegal oil shipping network wey dey support foreign terrorist organizations," oga Bondi bin write for im X handle.

E also share videos wey show as one military helicopter dey fly over obe big ship, and sojas use ropes to climb down on top di ship. Di video also show as men wey ear uniform dey move about for di ship wit dia guns.

One senior military official tell CBS wey be BBC partner for di US say di helicopters wey dem use for di operation dey launched from di USS Gerald Ford, di world largest aircraft carrier, wey dem bin send to di Caribbean last month.

Di operation bin involve two helicopters, 10 Coast Guard members and 10 Marines, as well as special forces.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth bin dey aware of di operation, and di Trump administration bin dey consider more actions like dis, one source tell CBS.

Wen tori pipo ask Trump wetin di US go do wit di tanker, e say: "We go keep am, I guess... I assume say we go keep di oil."

Maritime risk company Vanguard Tech identify di vessel as di Skipper and say dem believe say di ship had bin dey "spoof" im position - or e dey broadcast false location - for a long time.

BBC Verify don since confam say di vessel for di footage wey di Department of Homeland Security bin release na di Skipper.

Di US treasury department bin sanction di Skipper for 2022, according to CBS report, on top accuse say e dey involve for oil smuggling wey bin dey generate revenue for Hezbollah and di Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force.

BBC Verify also locate dis tanker for MarineTraffic, wey shows say e bin dey sail under di flag of Guyana wen im position bin dey updated two days ago.

One statement from Guyana Maritime Administration Department on Wednesday evening, howeva, say di Skipper bin dey "falselsely fly di Guyana Flag and e no dey registered for Guyana."

Di Skipper port of call log show say e bin call for Iran, Iraq, and di UAE from 30 June to 9 July dis year. Im most recent stop, according to MarineTraffic, na for Soroosh port for Iran on 9 July.

E no mean say e neva call for multiple oda ports since den.

MarineTraffic show say e bin dey dia last near Iran for mid-September bifor e arrive off di coast of Guyana for di end of October and making minimal further movement since den. Dis fit may be partial or incorrect bicos of spoofing.

MarineTraffic list di beneficial owner and operator as Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd wey base for Nigeria, and di registered owner na Triton Navigation Corp wey base for Marshall Islands.

Di govment of Venezuela later issue one statement wia dem denounce di seizure and call am "grave international crime".

Dia Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello call di US "murderers, thieves, pirates".

E refer to Pirates of di Caribbean, but say even though di lead character for di feem 'Jack Sparrow' na "hero", e believe say "dis guys na high sea criminals, buccaneers".

Cabello say dis na how di US take dey "start wars all ova di world".

Speaking for one rally on Wednesday, Venezuela President Maduro say e get message for American pipo wey no like for dia kontri to war wit Venezuela. Di message na one 1988 hit song.

"To American citizens wey dey against di war, I respond wit one veri famous song: Don't worry, be happy," Maduro tok for Spanish language bifor e start to sing along to di lyrics of di 1988 hit.

"Not war, be happy. Not, not crazy war, not, be happy."

E no clear weda Maduro bin don know about di seizure of di tanker bifor dis rally.

In recent days, di US don ramp up military presence for di Caribbean Sea, wey border Venezuela to di north.

Di build-up involve thousands of troops and dem position USS Gerald Ford make e dey within striking distance of Venezuela, BBC Verify report.

Di move don spark speculation about di potential for some kind of military action.

Since September, di US don conduct at least 22 strikes on top boats for di region wey di Trump administration say dem dey smuggle drugs. At least 80 pipo don kpai for dis attacks.