The operation came days after the United States seized a Russian-flagged tanker. The United States has vowed to continue the blockade after Maduro’s abduction.
The US military has seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean as it continues to target vessels sanctioned by the US government in its pressure campaign against Venezuela.
The U.S. Army Southern Command said in a statement Friday that its forces “seized” the tanker “without incident.”
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“Once again, our interagency force sent a clear message this morning: There is no safe haven for criminals.”
He did not provide details on why the tanker was targeted or the alleged violations.
According to the Associated Press, U.S. government records show the Olina, formerly known as Minerva M, was sanctioned for transporting Russian oil.
According to the agency’s report, the tanker is currently flying a “false flag” according to the International Maritime Registry.
The operation came two days after U.S. forces seized two tankers, including the Russian-flagged Marinella oil tanker, originally known as Vera 1.
Later, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it was investigating the crew of the ship, which was seized in the North Atlantic, for failing to comply with Coast Guard orders, and would proceed with charges.
Russia condemned the seizure as a “serious violation” of international maritime law and called on the United States to release the crew.
Since U.S. forces abducted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, an act that has been harshly condemned as a violation of international law, the U.S. government has vowed to maintain a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers. He also called on Venezuela to sever ties with Russia and China.
US President Donald Trump said the operation and continued sanctions and military pressure against Maduro were aimed at opening up the country’s vast oil reserves to US companies. This abduction has been harshly condemned as a serious violation of international law.
President Trump was scheduled to meet with oil and gas company executives at the White House later Friday.
Earlier this week, the United States seized another tanker, the M Sofia, in the Caribbean, which the military described as a “stateless” vessel. Panama later announced that the ship’s flag was canceled by the country last year.
The U.S. military had previously captured the Skipper tanker and the Centuries in December.
That same month, four UN experts said the US had no “right to impose unilateral sanctions through an armed blockade.” It argued that the blockade constituted an “unlawful armed invasion” under international law.
A United Nations group of experts just recently said the Trump administration’s plan to take indefinite control of Venezuela’s oil industry is a violation of the people’s right to self-determination.
Early Friday morning, President Trump said on Truth Social that the United States and Venezuela “work well together, especially as it relates to rebuilding our oil and gas infrastructure in a bigger, better, more modern way.”
“Thanks to this cooperation, we have halted the long-anticipated second wave of attacks,” he said, adding that U.S. warships would continue to be deployed to the region.
