US Seizes Oil Tanker Off Venezuelan Coast
The United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said, escalating US pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s regime.
As part of a broader effort to disrupt Venezuela‘s illicit oil trade, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the tanker has been sanctioned by the US for multiple years “due to its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations,” including Venezuela and Iran. The seizure came as Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado defied a travel ban and fled the country.
Vessel Details Emerge
The seized ship, named the Skipper, was previously sanctioned by the US in 2022 for facilitating oil trades for Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force. According to a senior US official, the vessel was carrying Venezuelan crude and was headed to Cuba before being brokered through Cuban sellers, ultimately destined for Asia.
International Reaction
The Venezuelan government strongly denounced the seizure, describing it as an “act of international piracy” in a statement Wednesday. The government vowed to appeal the seizure to “all existing international bodies.” In response, Trump declined to say who owns the seized tanker, stating only that the vessel was seized “for very good reason.”
US Pressure Campaign Continues
The US is now months into its pressure campaign on Venezuela, which has included moving thousands of troops and a carrier strike group into the Caribbean, strikes on suspected drug boats, and repeated threats against Maduro. So far, the US military has killed 87 people in strikes that have destroyed 23 alleged drug boats, and Trump has repeatedly suggested action on land could come soon.
Satellite Imagery Reveals Tanker’s Hiding Location
According to satellite imagery and shipping data reviewed by CNN, the Skipper hid its true location while docked at a Venezuelan oil terminal last month. On November 18, the Skipper was seen on satellite imagery docked around seven miles from the coastal Venezuelan city of Barcelona, according to a satellite image provided by Planet Labs. But at the same time, the ship’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder was inactive, indicating that the vessel was attempting to conceal its location.
Original Article: US seizes oil tanker off Venezuelan coast — Cnn