CARACAS, Capital District — Venezuela's foreign minister reported that a U.S. warship boarded a Venezuelan tuna boat with nine fishermen aboard while it was operating in Venezuelan waters. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Venezuela and the United States. The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the situation.

Tensions have escalated since U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of warships in the Caribbean in August, citing efforts to combat drug cartels in Latin America. During a press conference on Saturday, Foreign Minister Yván Gil stated that the tuna boat was "illegally and hostilely boarded by a United States Navy destroyer" along with 18 armed personnel. He claimed that the armed personnel remained on the vessel for eight hours, disrupting communication and the fishermen's activities.

Gil emphasized that the fishing boat had received authorization from the Ministry of Fisheries to operate in the area. He presented a video of the incident and stated, "Those who give the order to carry out such provocations are seeking an incident that would justify a military escalation in the Caribbean." He accused the U.S. of pursuing a failed policy aimed at regime change in Venezuela.

The foreign minister described the boarding as "illegal" and "illegitimate," asserting that Venezuela would defend its sovereignty against any provocations. This complaint follows Trump's recent announcement that U.S. forces had attacked a drug-laden vessel, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals. Trump claimed that the vessel had departed from Venezuela and was linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, although his administration has not provided evidence to support this assertion.

Venezuela has accused the U.S. of committing extrajudicial killings. Diosdado Cabello, the country's interior minister, dismissed Washington's claims as "a tremendous lie" and suggested that the incident might be connected to the disappearance of individuals in a coastal region who were not involved in drug trafficking.

The Trump administration has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading a drug cartel that floods the U.S. with narcotics, increasing the reward for his capture from $25 million to $50 million. While the U.S. has not indicated plans for a ground incursion with the deployment of over 4,000 troops in the region, the Venezuelan government has called on citizens to join militias—armed volunteers—to support security forces in case of a potential incursion. On Saturday, the government urged citizens to attend military barracks for training.