Title: U.S. Coast Guard Pursues Sanctioned Oil Tanker off Venezuela Coast: Second Operation in a Weekend
The U.S. Coast Guard is actively pursuing a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, marking the second such operation this weekend and the third in less than a week. The vessel in question is part of Venezuela's illegal sanctions evasion and is flying a false flag while under a judicial seizure order. The pursuit was reported by Reuters, but specific details about the location or name of the vessel were not disclosed.
In a separate incident on Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard seized a Panama-flagged vessel named Centuries, which was identified as part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet involved in trafficking stolen oil to support the Maduro regime. The Venezuelan government condemned the seizure as an act of piracy and vowed to take corresponding actions, including lodging complaints with international bodies.
President Trump has called for a total blockade on all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela as part of the ongoing pressure campaign against President Maduro. The recent seizures of oil tankers are aimed at disrupting illegal activities and preventing the flow of oil to countries under sanctions. The White House has emphasized that these actions are targeted at black market operations and should not impact oil prices in the U.S.
The U.S. military's involvement in seizing sanctioned oil tankers is part of a broader effort to combat illegal drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. President Trump has authorized a series of attacks on vessels smuggling fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S., resulting in multiple strikes and casualties. The administration is intensifying its efforts to disrupt illicit activities and enforce sanctions against entities supporting the Maduro regime.