Norton warns Guyana to act carefully amid U.S.–Venezuela tension

Dec 13, 2025 News

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(Kaieteur News) – Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Aubrey Norton has cautioned that Guyana must be measured in its response to the United States’ (U.S.) recent actions against Venezuela, noting that the country’s territorial controversy with its neighbour demands careful judgment.

His comments come amid reports that the U.S. has formally designated Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization—an action that adds terrorism-related sanctions to a group Washington claims includes President Nicolás Maduro and senior officials.

At his party’s press conference on Friday, Norton was asked whether he agreed with U.S. actions against what it labelled an “arch-terrorist organization.” He responded, “I support nothing that I don’t have the evidence to determine whether it is true or not. I have seen no evidence to help me arrive at a conclusion.”

He added that Guyana should avoid taking positions without confirmed information. “Until we are privy to information that confirms these claims, we will take the position of looking after our interests… We do not want to become embroiled in something which we don’t have the information to either substantiate or disagree with.”

Pressed further on what he made of the U.S. actions against President Maduro, Norton emphasized that every nation acts based on self-interest. “All countries pursue their national interests. The United States probably perceives this as their interest; Venezuela perceives that it’s not in their interest. As Guyanese, we have a Venezuela territorial controversy, and I believe we need to be very careful with who and what we support.” He said any position Guyana takes must only come “after we have a factual basis to declare one way or the other.”

Norton stressed that Guyana’s priority must be its own security and diplomacy. “Our task is to pursue our national interests, and our national interest is best served at this time by doing the diplomatic work to keep Venezuela at bay and mobilize the support of all we can get, including the United States, to support us against Venezuela.”

On Wednesday, the U.S. seized an oil tanker just off the coast of Venezuela. Reuters reported that that the seizure was confirmed by President Donald Trump and noted that the vessel was sanctioned by the U.S.

“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large, largest one ever, actually, and other things are happening,” said Trump, who has been pressuring Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down.

Asked what would happen with the oil, Trump said: “We keep it, I guess.”

In response, the Venezuelan government in a statement accused the U.S. of “blatant theft” and described the seizure as “an act of international piracy”.

The Venezuelan government said it would “defend its sovereignty, natural resources, and national dignity with absolute determination” and denounce the seizure of the tanker before international bodies.

Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. This incident was the first known action against an oil tanker since he ordered a massive military build-up in the region. The U.S. has already carried out several strikes against suspected drug vessels, which has raised concerns among lawmakers and legal experts.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X that the FBI, Homeland Security and Coast Guard, along with support from the U.S. military, carried out a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.

A 45-second video posted by Bondi showed two helicopters approaching a vessel and armed individuals in camouflage rappelling onto it.

Trump administration officials did not name the vessel.

British maritime risk management group Vanguard said the tanker Skipper was believed to have been seized off Venezuela early on Wednesday. The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the tanker for what Washington said was involvement in Iranian oil trading when it was called the Adisa.

The Skipper left Venezuela’s main oil port of Jose between December 4 and 5 after loading about 1.1 million barrels of Venezuela’s Merey heavy crude, according to satellite info analyzed by TankerTrackers.com and internal shipping data from Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA.

Oil futures rose following news of the seizure. After trading in negative territory, Brent crude futures rose 27 cents, or 0.4%, to settle at $62.21 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 21 cents, also 0.4%, to close at $58.46 per barrel.

Maduro on Wednesday spoke at a march commemorating a military battle, without addressing reports of the tanker’s seizure.

IMPACT ON OIL

Venezuela exported more than 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil last month, the third-highest monthly average so far this year, as PDVSA imported more naphtha to dilute its extra-heavy oil output. Even as Washington increased pressure on Maduro, the U.S. had not previously moved to interfere with oil flows.

Venezuela has had to deeply discount its crude to its main buyer China, due to growing competition with sanctioned oil from Russia and Iran.

“This is just yet another geopolitical/sanctions headwind hammering spot supply availability,” Rory Johnston, an analyst with Commodity Context, said.

“Seizing this tanker further inflames those prompt supply concerns but also doesn’t immediately change the situation fundamentally because these barrels were already going to be floating around for a while,” Johnston said.

Chevron (CVX.N), opens new tab, which partners with PDVSA, said its operations in the country were normal and continuing without disruption.

The U.S. oil major, responsible for all Venezuelan crude exports to the United States, last month increased crude exports to the U.S. to 150,000 bpd from 128,000 bpd in October.

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• Aubrey Norton, cartel, PNC/R, tension, U.S. Venezuela, war

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