US Military Seizes Venezuelan Oil Tanker Under Sanctions, Second in a Week
In a move that has further strained relations between Washington and Caracas, the US military seized another oil tanker at sea in support of President Donald Trump's sanctions against Venezuela. The tanker, Veronica, which is registered under a Guyanese flag, was boarded by US marines and sailors in a pre-dawn operation off the coast of Venezuela.
The seizure comes as part of Operation Southern Spear, an effort to crack down on foreign-flagged tankers operating in defiance of Trump's "quarantine" of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean. The US claims that these ships are being used by Venezuela to disguise its operations and evade sanctions.
According to marine records, Veronica had departed empty from Venezuelan waters in early January but had not returned as other ships have in recent days. The tanker was pursued across the Atlantic before it was intercepted off the coast of Venezuela, where it was seized without incident.
This is the sixth known boarding and seizure by the US military of a foreign-flagged oil tanker since Trump's capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month. The operation has sparked concerns about the impact on regional stability and access to essential goods.
The seizure comes as part of a broader effort by the US to control the distribution of Venezuela's oil products globally. Trump announced last week an agreement with Venezuela's interim leaders that he said would provide up to 50 million barrels of crude oil to the US, sparking concerns about the country's future and the potential for new sanctions.
Critics have accused the US of using its military power to try to control Venezuela's resources and undermine the country's sovereignty. The move has also raised questions about the legitimacy of Trump's claims that he will "run" the country through his interim leaders, despite recognizing former Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez as Venezuela's interim leader.
The seizure is likely to further fuel tensions between Washington and Caracas, which have already been running high following Maduro's capture. The US has yet to comment on whether it plans to release Veronica or her cargo, but the ship's crew remains on board at a US naval base in Port of Spain.
In a move that has further strained relations between Washington and Caracas, the US military seized another oil tanker at sea in support of President Donald Trump's sanctions against Venezuela. The tanker, Veronica, which is registered under a Guyanese flag, was boarded by US marines and sailors in a pre-dawn operation off the coast of Venezuela.
The seizure comes as part of Operation Southern Spear, an effort to crack down on foreign-flagged tankers operating in defiance of Trump's "quarantine" of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean. The US claims that these ships are being used by Venezuela to disguise its operations and evade sanctions.
According to marine records, Veronica had departed empty from Venezuelan waters in early January but had not returned as other ships have in recent days. The tanker was pursued across the Atlantic before it was intercepted off the coast of Venezuela, where it was seized without incident.
This is the sixth known boarding and seizure by the US military of a foreign-flagged oil tanker since Trump's capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month. The operation has sparked concerns about the impact on regional stability and access to essential goods.
The seizure comes as part of a broader effort by the US to control the distribution of Venezuela's oil products globally. Trump announced last week an agreement with Venezuela's interim leaders that he said would provide up to 50 million barrels of crude oil to the US, sparking concerns about the country's future and the potential for new sanctions.
Critics have accused the US of using its military power to try to control Venezuela's resources and undermine the country's sovereignty. The move has also raised questions about the legitimacy of Trump's claims that he will "run" the country through his interim leaders, despite recognizing former Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez as Venezuela's interim leader.
The seizure is likely to further fuel tensions between Washington and Caracas, which have already been running high following Maduro's capture. The US has yet to comment on whether it plans to release Veronica or her cargo, but the ship's crew remains on board at a US naval base in Port of Spain.
Can't believe what's happening with Venezuela! Trump thinks he can just send his marines and take over? 
It's like something out of a bad action movie. And now they're going after the oil tankers too, like they own the place. What's next? Invasion? 
I don't think this is about sanctions or control, it's about Venezuela having its sovereignty taken away and Trump getting what he wants. 
It's just so... aggressive. Can we please talk about diplomacy instead of military force? 
The people of Venezuela deserve better than to be treated like pawns in a game of geopolitics. 
this is getting super intense! I feel like the US is trying to exert too much control over Venezuela's economy and resources 
. It's already a super delicate situation with the new president, Nicolás Maduro, taking over... now they're seizing an oil tanker? That just seems like a big escalation 
. What are they even planning to do with all that oil? Are they gonna use it to fuel their own economy or something? 
I'm getting worried about the stability in the region, too... how's this gonna affect trade and access to goods? 
does anyone really think this is gonna end well? 
i mean, think about it... if the US is going after oil tankers, that's gotta have something to do with the global supply chain. but at what cost? 
! The US just took down another oil tanker and I'm low-key freaking out about what this means for Venezuela 
The crew is still on board and no one knows what's gonna happen next 
And did you see the chart on the Venezuelan economy? 
It's literally imploding right before our eyes. 40% inflation rate, folks! 
What's gonna happen when they can't even import medicine and food for their people? 
The world is watching this unfold, and it's not pretty...
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- another step closer to "smackin' some sense into" Venezuela 
] - all this talk about sanctions and control is making me think time is running out for Venezuela... and everyone else involved 
] - I mean come on, can't we all just get along? 
. Think about it, we're talking about nations having their own interests and resources being affected by someone else's actions. It's like when you're trying to make friends with someone, but they keep pushing away. You gotta respect boundaries and stop trying to control things that aren't yours 
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. Is it worth risking relationships and stability for a gain? I don't think so. We need to find ways to work together and respect each other's differences, not try to dominate or manipulate others 
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i mean trump just wants to control everything right? 
and now theyre gonna cause more trouble by seizing another ship 
this is so unfair 
or something... i just can't imagine how hard it must be for the people living there 
but at the same time, i get why trump is doing this too 
he's trying to crack down on corruption and all that... but does it have to hurt so many innocent people? 
. What's next? Are we gonna start talking about oil quotas and shipping regulations? It's getting too big for its britches, if you ask me 
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. And what's with the sanctions, anyway? It just seems like another way for the US to flex its muscles and get its way 
. I don’t usually comment but... this stuff just makes me really sad