Venezuela: United States boarded our fishing vessel in an 'hostile' manner

(Patria) - The Venezuelan government announced that an American destroyer on Friday intercepted, boarded, and occupied a Venezuelan tuna fishing vessel for eight hours in the waters of the Special Economic Zone of that South American country, Reuters reported.

In a statement read by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, the government stated that the tuna fishing vessel was boarded in an illegal and hostile manner, that the crew consisted of nine "humble" fishermen, and that it was "harmless".

Tensions between Washington and Caracas are rising. Last week, an eleven-person American military strike in the Caribbean sank a vessel from Venezuela that the administration of US President Donald Trump claimed was carrying illegal narcotics.

The Trump administration has provided scant information about the strike, despite demands from members of the US Congress for the government to justify the action.

The Venezuelan government stated that none of the eleven killed belonged to the Tren de Aragua gang as Washington claimed.

The Venezuelan government identified the American vessel as the USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), "equipped with powerful cruise missiles and highly specialized marines".

It demanded that the United States immediately cease targeting vessels, which, it said, "threatens the security and peace of the Caribbean".