Russia slams US Venezuela blockade as "aggression," warns of dangerous precedent

Russia has launched a fierce diplomatic offensive at the United Nations, denouncing the United States' maritime blockade of Venezuela as an unlawful act of aggression that sets a dangerous new precedent for intervention in Latin America. In an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused Washington of using military and economic pressure to overthrow an "inconvenient regime" and warned that such actions could be replicated against other regional states.

A Scathing Indictment of US Policy and Motives

Ambassador Nebenzia's language was stark, framing the blockade as "the most clear and absolutely real act of aggression." He placed full responsibility on Washington for what he described as the "catastrophic consequences" of its "cowboy-like conduct" for the Venezuelan people. The Russian envoy dismissed the Trump administration's stated justifications of combating corruption and drug trafficking, arguing the true goal is to force a change in government and seize control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves. "In Washington, they are ready to respect your independence... only if you are willing to tailor them to the interest of the United States," he stated.

On the Ground: Tanker Seizures and Accusations of "Piracy"

The heated rhetoric follows a week of tangible escalations. US President Donald Trump declared a "total and complete blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers bound for Venezuela, leading US forces to intercept and seize at least two tankers as they departed Venezuelan waters. Trump publicly stated that the US would be "keeping" one seized vessel and its cargo. In response, the government of President Nicolás Maduro has consistently branded the US actions as "international piracy," accusing the US of using a false anti-drug pretext to conduct economic warfare and regime change.

The Broader Geopolitical and Legal Stakes

Beyond the immediate Venezuela crisis, Russia framed the blockade as a test case for international law and regional sovereignty. Nebenzia warned it could "become a template for future acts of force against Latin American states." This positions Moscow as the defender of a multilateral, rules-based order against what it portrays as US unilateralism. The confrontation at the UN underscores the proxy nature of the Venezuela conflict, where a domestic political struggle has become a major flashpoint in the renewed great power rivalry between the US and Russia, with the fate of the Maduro government hanging in the balance.