Venezuela passes law enacting harsh penalties for supporters of US blockade

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by By News AgenciesDecember 23, 2025 at 09:53 PM

AI Summary

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In December 2025, Venezuela's National Assembly passed a law imposing harsh penalties, including up to 20 years in prison, for those supporting blockades and acts of piracy. This legislation follows the United States' seizure of oil tankers linked to Venezuela, which the Maduro government has condemned as illegal. According to lawmaker Giuseppe Alessandrello, the law aims to protect the national economy and living standards amid increasingly aggressive US actions, including military deployments and strikes. Venezuela's representative to the UN, Samuel Moncada, argued before the Security Council that the US is acting outside international law. China and Russia have also criticized the US actions, with Russia warning of a dangerous precedent for intervention in Latin America.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Russia ×260% China 60% United States ×570% Nicolas Maduro ×480%

Keywords

venezuela 90% us blockade 90% harsh penalties 80% acts of piracy 70% oil tankers 70% economic sanctions 60% international law 60% united states 50% nicolas maduro 50% national economy 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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venezuela us blockade harsh penalties acts of piracy oil tankers economic sanctions international law united states nicolas maduro national economy

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