Reuters first reported the pursuit, noting that U.S. officials declined to identify the vessel or disclose its precise location, citing operational sensitivities.
(Source: Reuters – https://www.reuters.com)
Earlier seizures raise diplomatic tensions
The latest pursuit follows a series of recent interdictions. On December 11, U.S. authorities seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, a move first reported by Bloomberg. President Donald Trump publicly confirmed the seizure during a White House roundtable, stating the vessel was “seized for a very good reason” and adding that he assumed the United States would keep the oil.
(Source: Bloomberg – https://www.bloomberg.com)
In a pre-dawn operation Saturday, the Coast Guard also seized the Panama-flagged vessel Centuries. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly described it on social media as “a falsely flagged vessel operating as part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet to traffic stolen oil and fund the narco-terrorist Maduro regime.”
Venezuela condemns actions as “piracy”
The Venezuelan government strongly condemned the seizure, calling it a “serious act of piracy.” In an official statement, Caracas warned that “these acts will not go unpunished” and said it would pursue complaints before the United Nations Security Council and other multilateral bodies.
(UN reference: https://www.un.org)
