US - US forces have seized another tanker in the Caribbean Sea, officials say, as the Trump administration continues its efforts to control exports of Venezuelan oil.
The tanker, the Olina, is on multiple countries' sanctions lists and the fifth vessel to be seized by the US in recent weeks. The US is using the seizures to pressure Venezuela's interim government and remove the so-called dark fleet of tankers from service. Officials say this fleet consists of more than 1,000 vessels that transport sanctioned and illicit oil. "Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: 'there is no safe haven for criminals,'" said the US military's Southern Command on Friday.
The US seized a tanker that had reportedly left Venezuelan waters late Sunday, following an early-morning raid that detained President Nicolás Maduro. Officials said the operation, carried out before dawn by Marines and sailors with the Department of Homeland Security, targeted a ship accused of transporting embargoed oil and evading US forces. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the vessel as part of a “ghost fleet” and posted a video of troops boarding the ship, calling the operation safe and effective. Maritime risk firm Vanguard Tech noted the tanker had been attempting to break a US naval blockade in the Caribbean, was registered under a false flag of Timor-Leste, and had not shown location activity for 52 days, northeast of Curacao. The seizure follows a broader push against Venezuelan oil shipments tied to sanctions, including two other tankers seized earlier in back-to-back operations in the North Atlantic and Caribbean. One tanker, the Marinera, was Russian-flagged and allegedly part of a shadow fleet servicing Venezuela, Russia, and Iran; it had flown the Guyana flag last month, rendering it stateless. The second, the M/T Sophia, was cited for illicit activities. UN maritime law allows authorities to board stateless vessels. In political developments, President Trump claimed Venezuela could hand over up to 50 million barrels of oil to the US, with proceeds directed to benefit the Venezuelan people. Separately, US diplomats visited Caracas to explore re-opening an embassy as ties with Venezuela show tentative signs of restoration. (BBC)
