Maduro says Venezuela steadfast in defending national peace, stability

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Sunday that the country will remain steadfast in defending national peace and stability in the face of what he described as aggressive actions.

In a social media post, Maduro said Venezuela has endured 25 consecutive weeks of aggression, ranging from what he called psychological terrorism to the hijacking of oil tankers in acts of piracy.

Despite facing numerous difficulties, he said, the Venezuelan people and all sectors of society will remain steadfast in defending national peace and stability.

His remarks came as U.S. news outlets reported Sunday that the U.S. is "in active pursuit" of a third oil tanker in international waters off the coast of Venezuela.

"The United States Coast Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela's illegal sanctions evasion. It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order," a U.S. official told NBC News.

Bloomberg News reported earlier on Sunday that the tanker Bella 1 was boarded by U.S. personnel while en route to Venezuela to load cargo, adding later that the pursuit was still ongoing.

If caught, the oil tanker will be the third one linked to the oil-rich South American nation and intercepted by the U.S. in less than two weeks.

One day earlier, the U.S. Coast Guard boarded the Centuries off Venezuela, a Panamanian-flagged supertanker that is not on Washington's sanctions list. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said on X that the crude oil aboard the Centuries originated from Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela SA, which is under U.S. sanctions.

On December 10, U.S. forces seized the tanker Skipper near Venezuelan waters and announced plans to retain its oil cargo.

On December 16, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a "total and complete blockade" of sanctioned tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, announcing Maduro's government had been designated as a "foreign terrorist organization."

According to oil-shipping monitor TankerTrackers.com, dozens of tankers on the U.S. sanctions list are currently remaining in Venezuelan waters. Oil exports are widely seen as the backbone of Venezuela's economy, accounting for the vast majority of its foreign revenue.

Venezuela has accused Washington of seeking regime change and military expansion in Latin America, condemning the interception of oil tankers as "piracy." 

Read more:

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(With input from Xinhua)