At a Caracas rally, President Nicolás Maduro danced to Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy," held Simón Bolívar's sword and urged supporters to prepare for a possible U.S. attack. The U.S. Coast Guard boarded and seized a Venezuelan oil tanker after personnel from the USS Gerald R. Ford landed aboard by helicopter; U.S. officials allege the ship planned to transport sanctioned Venezuelan oil to Iran. Caracas called the seizure piracy, Democratic lawmakers warned it could escalate conflict, and opposition leader María Corina Machado called the move "decisive" while stopping short of endorsing U.S. military intervention.
Maduro Dances to 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' as U.S. Seizes Venezuelan Tanker, Raising Fears of Escalation
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro danced to Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" at a rally on Wednesday, urging supporters to be ready in case of a U.S. attack and brandishing a sword once owned by 19th-century liberator Simón Bolívar.
Coast Guard Boards Tanker
The rally coincided with an announcement that U.S. authorities had boarded and seized a Venezuelan oil tanker. According to officials, U.S. Coast Guard personnel deployed by helicopter from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford landed on the vessel and took control.
Allegations and Immediate Response
Pam Bondi, who provided details about the operation, said the FBI, the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security collaborated to execute a seizure warrant. Authorities alleged the tanker intended to "transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela to Iran." It remains unclear what will happen to the cargo; President Trump told reporters, "Well, we keep it. I guess."
"Well, we keep it. I guess." — President Trump
Reactions and Risks
Caracas denounced the action as an act of piracy and accused the United States of trying to plunder Venezuelan energy resources. Several Democratic lawmakers warned the seizure could escalate tensions in the region.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said the move "needlessly and recklessly" raised the risk of conflict and criticized what he described as a lack of a clear endgame or strategy. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, warned the operation "clearly has the potential to provoke a larger conflict." Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who serves on both the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, asked whether the action was motivated by narcotics enforcement, oil politics or regime-change efforts.
Venezuela Opposition Response
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado praised the U.S. action as "decisive" but declined to say whether she supports a U.S. military intervention to remove Maduro. Machado said she intends to return to Venezuela eventually, whether Maduro remains in power or his government falls.
Note: Some details reported by officials — including the involvement of specific agencies and the ultimate disposition of the seized oil — remain subject to official confirmation and possible legal proceedings.
