US seizes another vessel off Venezuelan coast

The United ‌States is interdicting and seizing a vessel off the coast of Venezuela in international waters, three US officials said on ‍Saturday, a move that comes just days after US President Donald Trump announced a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.

This would mark the second time in recent weeks that the United States has seized a tanker near Venezuela and comes amid a large US military build-up in the region.

The officials, who were speaking on the condition ⁠of anonymity, did not say where the operation was taking place but added the coastguard was in the lead.

The coastguard and Pentagon referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Venezuela’s oil ministry and state oil company PDVSA did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

“I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” Trump said on Tuesday.

In ‍the days since US forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela last week, there has been an effective embargo in place, with ‍loaded vessels carrying millions of barrels of oil staying in Venezuelan waters rather than risk seizure.

  

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