The Iranian embassy in Caracas says the US seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela is piracy in the Caribbean Sea.

The Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro has said Caracas does not want peace if it means “slavery” to the US.

Venezuela is facing intense international pressure, particularly from the United States, aiming to overthrow its government. Despite this, the country is moving forward with local elections and state-funded community projects.

The Venezuelan president says the US ‘cannot defeat’ his ‘invincible’ country amid growing tensions with Washington.

US military buildup near Venezuela has rekindled fears of a hegemonic intervention fueled by Washington’s appetite for oil even as Caracas asserts its readiness for any scenario.

The United States will designate the so-called Cartel de los Soles, which Washington claims is led by President Nicolás Maduro and senior Venezuelan officials, as an illegal criminal organization this month.

Trump’s Secretary of War has announced new operations targeting vessels in the Pacific Ocean as part of what the administration claims are anti-drug operations, as the naval buildup continues around Venezuela.