Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has issued a strong warning over what he described as a “dangerous” escalation of U.S. military activity in the Caribbean, accusing Washington of threatening regional peace, violating international law, and undermining global maritime security.

In a formal message addressed to Latin American and Caribbean leaders as well as all United Nations member states, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil conveyed Maduro’s concerns, stating that the “U.S. escalation in the Caribbean threatens regional stability and the international order.”

According to the Venezuelan government, the United States has carried out the largest aerial and naval deployment in the Caribbean in decades, allegedly under the pretext of counter-narcotics operations. Caracas claims the deployment includes the presence of a nuclear submarine near Venezuela’s coast, which it described as a direct threat of force and a violation of the United Nations Charter.

The statement further accused U.S. forces of carrying out 28 attacks on civilian vessels between September and December 2025 in both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. These incidents, Venezuela said, resulted in the extrajudicial killing of approximately 104 people, describing the actions as serious breaches of international humanitarian law and international maritime safety conventions.

Maduro’s government also denounced what it called the illegal seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers and the imposition of a de facto maritime blockade aimed at strangling the country’s energy exports. These measures were labeled as “state piracy,” with Caracas warning that they pose a grave risk to international shipping, global energy markets, and lawful trade routes.

The warning follows an announcement last week by U.S. President Donald Trump declaring a full-scale “blockade” of oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela under U.S. sanctions. The move is part of a broader pressure campaign against the Maduro government, which critics have described as an attempt to force regime change. The Trump administration has also overseen the seizure of at least three Venezuelan oil tankers in international waters near the country.

In his message, Maduro urged Latin American and Caribbean nations, along with the wider international community, to unite in demanding an immediate end to what he characterized as military aggression, economic warfare, and unlawful foreign interference.

“Venezuela reiterates its commitment to peace and dialogue,” the letter stated, “but reserves the sovereign right to defend its people, its resources, and its territory.”

The communication concluded with a call for international condemnation of U.S. actions, the activation of accountability mechanisms, and urgent diplomatic efforts to halt the escalation and prevent further violations of international law and norms governing state conduct. (ILKHA)