President Donald Trump’s administration has been piling pressure on Venezuela for months, with a major naval build-up accompanied by deadly strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats that have killed at least 95 people.

Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has claimed the massive US military deployment within striking distance of his country is part of a plan to overthrow him and “steal” Venezuela’s abundant oil under the ruse of an anti-drug operation.

Last week, American forces also seized a Venezuelan tanker said to be transporting black market oil in violation of a US embargo. Washington said it intended to keep the cargo.

In a letter to diplomat Samuel Zbogar of Slovenia, which holds the rotating presidency of the UNSC, Caracas urged the body to condemn what it called an act of “state-sponsored piracy, the illegitimate use of military force against a private vessel, and the theft of a cargo resulting from lawful international trade.”

It also demanded the US release the vessel’s “kidnapped” crew members.

Oil is Venezuela’s top valuable commodity, but US sanctions have left it no option but to sell on the black market at a discounted rate, mainly to China.