The pursuit and seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers intensified in the last few weeks, as the Trump Administration expanded its pressure campaign against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
U.S. officials say the latest actions underscore a broader strategy aimed at disrupting what Washington describes as illegal oil trafficking and sanctions evasion linked to Caracas.
U.S. Coast Guard pursues third vessel in a week
A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News that the U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday was pursuing another sanctioned oil tanker in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. The operation marks the second such pursuit over the weekend and the third in less than a week, signaling a sharp escalation in enforcement activity against Venezuelan oil tankers under the Trump Administration.
According to the official, the vessel is part of a so-called “dark fleet” allegedly used to bypass international sanctions. “It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order,” the official said.
(Source: CBS News – https://www.cbsnews.com)
