"Venezuela's National Assembly approved a bill in its first reading on Monday aimed at safeguarding navigation and trade freedoms, in response to what the government describes as a 'total blockade' by the United States targeting sanctioned oil tankers. The bill seeks to protect trade and shipping covered by international treaties ratified by Venezuela and includes penalties of up to 20 years in prison for those who support what Caracas describes as acts of 'piracy.' The legislation was presented by United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) deputy Giuseppe Alessandrello, who said it aims to "protect us from the predatory actions carried out by the United States government" in the Caribbean Sea. "To the north of our territory lies the Mare Nostrum, the Caribbean [...] All commercial activities that connect us with the world, and the world connects with us through that sea, take place there. This law seeks to protect that commercial relationship," Alessandrello explained. The Venezuelan government said the law is a response to US actions over the past four months, including what it calls the extrajudicial killing of people in the Caribbean, a blockade of Caribbean air and naval space, and the boarding of merchant ships with crews and cargo seized. Opposition deputy Jose Gregorio Correa of Democratic Action (AD) also supported the bill, saying Venezuela must confront external aggression. He criticised other political groups for staying silent, saying "not a word is heard from them to reject what we are suffering today in Venezuela." Following its approval in the first reading, the Venezuelan National Assembly is set to formalise the bill on Tuesday after a second reading, said Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez. The debate took place in an extraordinary session, hours after President Nicolas Maduro sent a letter to Latin American, Caribbean, and UN leaders warning of an "escalation of US aggression" that he said could destabilise the region and the international system."