Strong response; Russia strikes at America: "This is an act of aggression"

“We strongly condemn the seizure of an oil tanker by the U.S. military and the de facto imposition of a maritime blockade on Venezuela,” he said during a United Nations Security Council session, RIA Novosti reported.

Nebenzya called the blockade a true act of aggression and added that the U.S., under the pretext of fighting drugs and terrorism, is concealing its goal of increasing military presence in Latin America and exerting pressure on Caracas.

“Washington’s responsibility for the catastrophic consequences of such cowboy behavior on the residents of the blockaded country is also obvious. Unfortunately, there is every reason to believe that U.S. actions against Venezuela are not a one-off. This ongoing intervention could become a pattern for future military actions against Latin American countries,” Nebenzya emphasized.

He stated that such steps send a clear signal to all countries in the region that Washington respects independence only in exchange for benefits.

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“We reaffirm our solidarity with the people of Venezuela, who face difficulties in implementing the policies of Mr. Maduro’s government aimed at protecting the national interests and sovereignty of the homeland,” Nebenzya concluded.

The Wall Street Journal reported today that the U.S. has deployed a large number of aircraft, troops, and special operations equipment to the Caribbean. 

Last week, the paper reported that the Americans are preparing to carry out precision strikes on land targets in Venezuela.

Over the past several months, the U.S. has repeatedly used its military to destroy ships allegedly transporting drugs.

Washington claims that such operations are aimed at combating transnational crime and drug trafficking.