The United States has seized a sixth Venezuela-linked tanker in the Caribbean, hours before President Donald Trump’s meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, U.S. officials told Reuters.
U.S. officials said on Thursday that the latest vessel taken into custody is the Guyana-flagged Aframax tanker Veronica, marking the sixth ship targeted since mid-December.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the seizure occurred in the Caribbean and forms part of a wider campaign against vessels tied to Venezuela's oil trade.
U.S. Southern Command confirmed the pre-dawn operation, saying forces apprehended the Motor/Tanker Veronica without incident.
Its statement said the vessel had been operating in defiance of President Trump’s quarantine on sanctioned ships in the Caribbean. It added that the only oil permitted to leave Venezuela would be shipments coordinated lawfully under U.S. oversight.
Shipping documents from PDVSA and data from TankerTrackers.com show the Veronica departed Venezuelan waters empty in early January.
Unlike several other tankers that recently returned to Venezuelan ports, the vessel remained outside the country before being intercepted.
Washington’s targeting of vessels expanded sharply after Trump ordered operations to force Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power, culminating in U.S. forces detaining Maduro and his wife on 3 January.
Trump has since said the United States intends to control Venezuela’s oil resources indefinitely as part of a $100 billion reconstruction plan for the sector.
Sources familiar with U.S. legal filings said Washington has already submitted requests to seize dozens more tankers tied to shipments from Venezuela, Iran and Russia, including vessels identified as part of a shadow fleet that obscures its origin and ownership.
Maritime authorities in Panama, Cook Islands and Guyana have reported ships operating under false flags or registrations cancelled before interception.
Last week, U.S. forces seized a Russian-flagged tanker that had been shadowed by a Russian submarine across the Atlantic, prompting condemnation from Moscow.
Thursday’s operation came shortly before Trump’s scheduled meeting with Maria Corina Machado, their first since the U.S. removed Maduro from power.
Trump has previously described her as a freedom fighter but questioned her domestic support. A classified CIA assessment presented to the president concluded that Maduro loyalists, including senior figure Rodriguez, were currently best positioned to maintain stability in Venezuela.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million peop...
Counting is underway in Armenia’s parliamentary elections, with the results of the vote set to determine the makeup of the National Assembly and sha...
The Iranian national football team is set to arrive in North America for the World Cup after finally securing travel documents, but a dispute over U.S...
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships ...
Sirens rang out across multiple areas of Israel on Sunday night after missiles were launched from Iran towards the country, the Israeli military said...
U.S. passenger air services to Venezuela resumed on Thursday (30 April), as an American Airlines flight landed in Caracas, restoring a commercial link between the two countries after seven years.
A United States Army soldier has been charged with making more than $400,000 by betting on the removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, according to the Department of Justice.
Three months following the U.S. raid that captured socialist President Nicolas Maduro on 3 January, the Venezuelan National Assembly approved a new law on Thursday loosening the state’s grip on mining investments to open the sector for private and foreign companies.
In a major policy reversal, the U.S. Treasury has removed Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, from its sanctions list, signalling a sharp shift in Washington’s approach to Caracas.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million people for the next few years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping to fend off challenges from several pro-Russia candidates to secure a third term.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after ballot shortages left some voters unable to cast their ballots.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The U.S. said it struck Iranian radar sites on Qeshm Island and in Goruk after intercepting four drones, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they launches retaliatory strikes on four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf.
The Iranian national football team is set to arrive in North America for the World Cup after finally securing travel documents, but a dispute over U.S. visa approvals continues to cast a shadow over the country's tournament preparations.
At least a dozen people were wounded, two critically, on Saturday (6 June) in Toledo, Ohio, as two shooters traded gunfire, police said.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 7 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al‑Zaidi will pay an official visit to the United States, bringing with him a delegation of business leaders, private‑sector representatives and banking officials, in an effort to boost investment and deepen economic ties with Washington.
People across Gaza are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with millions struggling to access food, clean water, shelter and medical care as the conflict continues.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment