The corporate media’s use of the term ‘illegal’ shipments when referring to Venezuelan oil exports is a good example of the weaponization of semantics. The shadow (or “ghost”) fleet, which transports oil to evade sanctions imposed by the United States, is owned by companies that change their names. They use false flags and turn off tracking to avoid being confiscated, as happens in the Caribbean today. But does that make it illegal? Although it would probably be considered illegal under U.S. law, the high seas are not U.S. territory. By calling these activities “illegal,” the corporate media is reinforcing Trump’s discourse based on the idea that America owns the world.
