Venezuela Criminalizes Actions Hindering Commerce After Tanker Seizures

CARACAS, venezuela (AP) – venezuela’s parliament on Tuesday approved a measure that criminalizes a broad range of activities that can hinder navigation and commerce in the South American country, such as the seizure of oil tankers.

The bill – introduced,debated,and approved within two days in the National Assembly – follows this month’s seizures by U.S. forces of two tankers carrying Venezuelan oil in international waters. These seizures are the latest strategy in U.S. President Donald Trump’s four-month pressure campaign on Venezuela’s leader Nicolás Maduro.

The tankers are part of what the Trump administration has said is a fleet Venezuela uses to evade U.S. economic sanctions.

The unicameral assembly, controlled by Venezuela’s ruling party, did not publish drafts on Tuesday nor the final version of the measure.Though, as read on the floor, the bill calls for fines and prison sentences of up to 20 years for anyone who promotes, requests, supports, finances, or participates in “acts of piracy, blockades, or other international illegal acts” against commercial entities operating with the South American country.

Venezuela’s political opposition, including Nobel Peace laureate Maria Corina Machado, has expressed support for Trump’s Venezuela policy, including the seizure of tankers.