Amid increasing tensions between the United States and Venezuela, the government in Caracas has accused Washington of another provocation.
Foreign Minister Yván Gil charged on Saturday that US soldiers had seized a fishing boat in Venezuela's exclusive economic zone.
Armed crew members of the destroyer USS Jason Dunham had boarded the fishing boat Carmen Rosa 48 nautical miles north-east of the Venezuelan island of La Blanquilla, held nine fishermen for eight hours and cut off all communication, Gil said.
"Those who give the order to carry out such provocations are seeking an incident that would justify a military escalation in the Caribbean," the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
At a press conference, Gil showed a video of US soldiers approaching the fishing boat in an inflatable boat.
Tensions between the US and Venezuela have recently intensified.
According to media reports, the US deployed several warships off the Venezuelan coast to take action against drug traffickers. Eleven people were killed when a suspected smuggling boat allegedly belonging to the Tren de Aragua crime syndicate was fired upon.
Plans were also announced to deploy combat aircraft to the US territory of Puerto Rico.
