The US has seized a sixth tanker in the Caribbean Sea in its ongoing efforts to control exports of Venezuelan oil, according to officials.
The vessel, Veronica, was boarded in a predawn operation without incident as it defied President Donald Trump's quarantine of sanctioned vessels, stated the US military. The only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully, the Southern Command declared.
This seizure follows military strikes against Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month, with Trump asserting intentions to tap into the country’s significant oil reserves.
Veronica, a crude oil tanker sailing under the Guyanese flag, had departed empty from Venezuelan waters in early January, as indicated by monitoring service TankerTrackers.com. Earlier registered in Russia under different names, the US military rated the vessel's operation as defiance of Trump's established quarantine in the Caribbean.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem remarked that the operation was executed flawlessly in coordination with military and legal authorities, asserting, Our heroic Coast Guard men and women once again ensured a flawlessly executed operation, in accordance with international law. This suggested a sustained crackdown on the so-called dark fleet, which consists of vessels transporting sanctioned oil.
The blockade significantly reduced Venezuelan oil exports. Only Chevron-associated ships bound for the US have continued to operate, according to analyst Matt Smith. Loadings have fallen by approximately half this month, down to roughly 400,000 barrels per day.
This incident unfolded shortly before a planned meeting at the White House between Trump and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who Trump has previously described as a freedom fighter. However, he declined to appoint her as a leader following Maduro’s removal, suggesting that interim President Delcy Rodríguez is better supported domestically.
Coinciding with this meeting, reports have emerged of an envoy from the Venezuelan government traveling to Washington to discuss reopening its embassy. This emissary is said to be close to interim president Rodríguez, who has received positive affirmations from the White House regarding cooperation in negotiations.
As the US embarks on selling Venezuelan oil, with an initial sale reportedly valued at $500 million, the evolving situation hints at further complexities in international relations surrounding Venezuela's challenging political landscape.
