• Venezuela accuses the U.S. of seizing a fishing boat in its waters for eight hours.
• The incident involved the USS Jason Dunham and nine Venezuelan fishermen.
• This escalation follows a U.S. military strike that killed 11 people earlier this month.
• Venezuelan officials warn against military provocations and demand an end to U.S. actions.
• Relations between the two nations have reached a breaking point after increased military presence from the U.S.

Venezuela has condemned the United States for allegedly boarding and occupying a fishing vessel in its Exclusive Economic Zone for eight hours. The incident involved the USS Jason Dunham, a U.S. Navy destroyer, which reportedly dispatched 18 armed personnel to intercept the vessel carrying nine fishermen on Friday. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil stated that this action was “illegal and hostile,” describing it as a “direct provocation through the illegal use of excessive military means,” according to CBS News and South China Morning Post.

The Venezuelan government has demanded that the U.S. halt these actions, which it claims jeopardize the security and stability of the Caribbean region. Gil asserted that those responsible for the seizure are seeking incidents to justify military escalation in an attempt at regime change in Caracas. This assertion comes amid heightened military activities from Washington, including an increase in patrols aimed at targeting drug cartels, as per Reuters and Le Monde.

Earlier this month, a U.S. airstrike resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals, claimed to be connected to drug trafficking, an assertion denied by Venezuelan authorities. The incident has fueled accusations from Venezuela that the U.S. is perpetrating "extrajudicial killings." Minister Diosdado Cabello emphasized the discrepancy in allegations made by Washington regarding connections to the Tren de Aragua criminal organization, stating firmly that “these allegations are a tremendous lie,” according to Al Jazeera and Los Angeles Times.

A U.S. official, however, stated that the boarding was part of a drug search operation, which yielded no contraband. This has been framed by Venezuela as a disproportionate military response, further stressing the potential for conflict in the region. Despite denials of drug trafficking, the U.S. has doubled its bounty for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, reflecting deteriorating diplomatic relations, as per ABC News and India Times.