‘Grotesque colonial fantasy’: Trump says Venezuelan oil belongs to US
The Venezuelan ambassador to the United Nations has condemned US President Donald Trump’s claims about the ownership of Venezuela’s territory and resources, saying he is seeking to revive 19th-century imperialism and turn the Latin American country into a colony.
Samuel Moncada made the remarks on Thursday, two days after Trump ordered a blockade of oil tankers transiting Venezuela and alleged that the nation had stolen US “oil, land and other assets.”
“President Trump intends to turn back the clock of history and impose a colony on Venezuela,” Moncada said during a UN General Assembly meeting marking the International Day Against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations.
“There is no legal instrument that can stand up to this (Trump’s) monstrous declaration.”
The Venezuelan diplomat also denounced Washington’s rhetoric as a "grotesque offense" to civilized norms and a return to 19th-century imperialist policies.
He further urged Washington to respect the UN Charter, warning that traditional colonialism has been replaced by "new, pernicious methods" of control.
Echoing Trump’s claims, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller suggested on Wednesday that Venezuela’s oil belongs to the US.
Miller also described the nationalization of the South American state's petroleum industry as “theft”, arguing, “American sweat, ingenuity and toil created the oil industry in Venezuela.”
Executive Vice President @delcyrodriguezv: “#Venezuela's first oil company (Petrolia del Táchira, 1878) was founded with EXCLUSIVELY VENEZUELAN personnel. This was a distinctive feature of our industry.”
— Misión de Venezuela ante la Unión Europea (@misionven_ue) December 17, 2025
1/4 pic.twitter.com/MfsjPrUxeX
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Trump’s comments revealed his true motives, which are a “regime change”, as well as control of his country’s wealth.
“It is simply a warmongering and colonialist pretense, and we have said so many times, and now everyone sees the truth,” Maduro said on Wednesday.
In recent months, the United States has increased its military posture in the Caribbean Sea, particularly off Venezuela's coast, purportedly to combat drug trafficking; a claim categorically rejected by Caracas.
Meanwhile, US forces have conducted a wave of lethal strikes on suspected drug boats and killed more than 104 people since September.
Last week, the US attacked a commercial vessel carrying Venezuelan crude oil off the country’s coast in a blatant act of piracy.
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