US seizes another Venezuelan oil tanker amid blockade
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that the US Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, apprehended a tanker recently docked in Venezuela. Noem shared a video of the operation on X, stating it targeted the “illicit movement of sanctioned oil” allegedly funding “narcoterrorism” in the region.
Unlike a previous seizure earlier this month, the tanker intercepted this weekend was not under US sanctions and carried Venezuelan crude destined for Asia, as stated by reports. The operation occurred in international waters and marks the second such interdiction in recent weeks. Since the first seizure, some vessels have avoided leaving Venezuelan ports, sharply limiting the country’s crude exports.
Earlier, Trump accused Venezuela of “stealing” US oil assets and warned that Caracas would face the force of the “largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America” if they were not returned.
The US pressure campaign, ongoing since September, has involved naval deployments, vessel seizures, and dozens of strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats near Venezuela, reportedly killing over 100 suspected cartel members.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro condemned the seizures as illegal acts of piracy and denied any involvement in drug trafficking, accusing Washington of seeking regime change to control the nation’s oil wealth.
Russia and China have called for restraint. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned the escalation could produce “unforeseen developments,” while Beijing emphasized opposition to “unilateralism and bullying” and affirmed Venezuela’s right to trade freely.
The US has not ruled out further measures, with Trump noting that land strikes on Venezuela remain a potential option.
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