"We urge all actors to refrain from actions that risk leading to further escalation in bilateral relations and destabilizing Venezuela and the region," Guterres said in a statement through his spokesperson Farhan Haq.
President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States had seized a “very large” tanker. According to the United States, the vessel was subject to sanctions.
The government in Caracas has condemned the procedure, calling it “theft.”
On Thursday, President Nicolás Maduro received support from his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin when the two spoke by phone. According to a statement from the Kremlin, Putin expressed “his solidarity with the Venezuelan people” and his support for Maduro’s actions in “protecting national interests and sovereignty in a situation characterized by growing external pressure.”
The US has in recent months carried out attacks on ships allegedly transporting drugs off the coast of Venezuela, with Trump blaming Maduro for some of the responsibility.
Three members of Maduro's family were added to the US sanctions list on Thursday, along with six companies accused of transporting Venezuelan oil.
