# Venezuelan Navy ship shoots at and rams a cruise ship, sinks itself **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 3, 2020, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-navy-ship-shoots-at-and-rams-a-cruise-ship-sinks-itself/850933 "2020-04-03T04:19:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-navy-ship-shoots-at-and-rams-a-cruise-ship-sinks-itself/850933/41 "2020-04-06T20:57:36Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Is there any speculation as to what their intent was if they had gotten the ship to Venezuelan port? Maybe make up a bunch of violations and require “fines” to be paid to return the ship? Or outright confiscate the ship and sell it, they’ve apparently been known to do that. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-navy-ship-shoots-at-and-rams-a-cruise-ship-sinks-itself/850933/42 "2020-04-06T21:31:13Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > So they had a 76 mm gun, the cruise ship had a propeller or two, and Captain Venezuela decides ramming is the way to bring it under control? It says there were “warning shots” which were probably a couple of bursts across the bow of tracers from the .50-cals. Heavier ammunition’s expensive. But it would not look good to be [del]holding for ransom[/del] demanding fines under threat of confiscation if it’s got burnt out holes and a few dead citizens of other countries in it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-navy-ship-shoots-at-and-rams-a-cruise-ship-sinks-itself/850933/43 "2020-04-06T22:42:46Z")
And here’s the Venezuelan explanation via wikipedia: Nicolás Maduro accused the captain of the cruise ship of “piracy” and “terrorism,” adding later that he did not rule out that RCGS Resolute was “carrying mercenaries to attack onshore military bases.” The Venezuelan minister of defence said RCGS Resolute’s action was an act of “imperial aggression.” Right. Maybe they also can’t “rule out” that the cruise ship was carrying shape-shifting lizard people! The Venezuelan Navy were just trying to save the planet! Good job Maduro. Most pathetic excuse of the year. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-navy-ship-shoots-at-and-rams-a-cruise-ship-sinks-itself/850933/44 "2020-04-07T03:32:45Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I’ve heard Germans have a reputation for lacking humor, Oh they have a sense of humor all right, anything to do with defecation for example. They think the phrase “trolls hiding under outhouses with red-hot pokers” is knee-slappingly hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-navy-ship-shoots-at-and-rams-a-cruise-ship-sinks-itself/850933/45 "2020-04-07T21:05:42Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > The crew offered to help, but they were refused. Given they were deliberately rammed, I don’t know if I’d willingly take any of the crew on board, as there’s a risk of them trying to commandeer the ship. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2020, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-navy-ship-shoots-at-and-rams-a-cruise-ship-sinks-itself/850933/46 "2020-05-06T19:29:28Z")
In a dramatic turnaround in the world’s most embarrassing war, [Venezuelan farmers defeat the Green Berets](https://www.thedailybeast.com/in-venezuela-trump-just-inspired-the-dumbest-coup-plot-in-latin-american-history-complete-with-a-qanon-crazy). ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-navy-ship-shoots-at-and-rams-a-cruise-ship-sinks-itself/850933/47 "2020-05-07T08:23:57Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > Given they were deliberately rammed, I don’t know if I’d willingly take any of the crew on board, as there’s a risk of them trying to commandeer the ship. Drop them enough life rafts and some medical supplies. I would be surprised if there isn’t a set of complete video and audio recordings of the entire event that can be drawn upon in court … complete with them refusing help. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-navy-ship-shoots-at-and-rams-a-cruise-ship-sinks-itself/850933/48 "2020-05-07T23:16:07Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > In a dramatic turnaround in the world’s most embarrassing war, [Venezuelan farmers defeat the Green Berets](https://www.thedailybeast.com/in-venezuela-trump-just-inspired-the-dumbest-coup-plot-in-latin-american-history-complete-with-a-qanon-crazy). Fishermen, not farmers, but close enough. The mercs were lured by a multi-megabuck reward offered by Pompeo but where did their backing come from? A QAnon GoFundMe? A sanitized Trump fund? The merc _filibusteros_ leaders had been Trump security. Is this yet more proof that everything this POTUS touches, dies? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-navy-ship-shoots-at-and-rams-a-cruise-ship-sinks-itself/850933/49 "2020-05-07T23:52:20Z")
Well, these idiots might. All the Presidential pardons in the world won’t save your ass in a South American prison. Although I can see Venezuela keeping them around until after Jan. 20, 2021, when they can free them as a good-will gesture or a bribe, depending. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-navy-ship-shoots-at-and-rams-a-cruise-ship-sinks-itself/850933.md?page=2)