How Did the Venezuelan Navy Lose to a Cruise Ship?

By Robert Palmer

In May 2018, the Venezuelan Navy made headlines around the world when it lost a major engagement against a cruise ship. The incident, which was widely reported, highlights the depths of decay that has plagued the Venezuelan military, and shows how far President Maduro’s government has fallen from its once proud stature.

The incident began when the Venezuelan Navy attempted to intercept a cruise ship, the MV Seabourn Odyssey, as it travelled through Venezuelan waters in international waters near Curaçao. The navy ship, a navy patrol boat called Naiguata, approached the cruise ship and sent out an order demanding that they leave Venezuelan waters.

The crew of the Seabourn Odyssey refused to comply with the order and continued on their course. The Naiguata responded by firing warning shots across the bow of the vessel. In response, passengers aboard Seabourn Odyssey began to throw objects at Naiguata in an attempt to deter them from further action.

The Venezuelan Navy then escalated their response by firing live rounds at the cruise ship. This prompted a response from Seabourn Odyssey’s crew who returned fire with flares in an effort to scare off Naiguata and protect their passengers from harm. This worked as Naiguata quickly retreated from its position and eventually left without further incident.

The incident was seen as a major embarrassment for President Maduro’s government and was widely covered in international media outlets as well as on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. It highlighted how much power Venezuela had lost since Hugo Chavez took office in 1999 and how far they had fallen since then.

The incident also demonstrated just how much damage had been done to Venezuela’s military forces due to years of mismanagement and corruption under President Maduro’s rule. With inadequate resources, outdated equipment, and poor morale amongst its personnel, it is no surprise that Venezuela’s naval forces were easily outmatched by a civilian cruise liner.

Conclusion:

The incident between Venezuela’s Navy and a cruise ship has become a symbol of how far President Maduro’s government has fallen since Hugo Chavez took office in 1999. It highlights how mismanagement and corruption have caused Venezuela’s military forces to become outdated, under-resourced, and poorly managed – leading them to be easily outmatched by a civilian cruise liner.