Russia and China pledge support for Venezuela as Trump ratchets up pressure on Maduro Trump again called for Venezuela'

[riversedge]

Russia and China pledge support for Venezuela as Trump ratchets up pressure on Maduro

Trump again called for Venezuela’s president to leave power and said the US would keep or sell the oil it had seized

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/23/russia-china-support-venezuela-trump-pressure-maduro?CMP=share_btn_url

Guardian staff and agencies Mon 22 Dec 2025 21.52 EST


China’s foreign ministry said on Monday that the seizure of another country’s ships was a serious violation of international law, after the US intercepted a China-bound oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast on Saturday.

The tanker, which the White House said was part of Venezuela’s shadow fleet and carrying sanctioned oil, was not currently sanctioned by the US. However, Panama’s foreign minister said that the supertanker, Centuries, which was flying Panama’s flag when intercepted on Saturday, did not respect the country’s maritime rules and had altered its name and disconnected its transponder while carrying an oil cargo out of Venezuela.
Footage shows US forces seizing second oil tanker off Venezuela – video

Venezuela has the right to develop relations with other countries, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a daily press briefing, adding that China opposes all “unilateral and illegal” sanctions.

China is the biggest buyer of Venezuelan crude, which accounts for roughly 4% of its oil imports.

Later on Monday, the foreign ministers of Russia and Venezuela criticised the US actions, which have also included strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats and, on Sunday, the targeting of a third tanker.


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This article was amended on 23 December 2025. An earlier version incorrectly said that Bella 1 was drifting north-east of Bermuda.