Washington has confirmed that its military personnel have intercepted another Venezuelan-linked oil tanker in the Gulf of Mexico, bringing the total number of such seizures to five.
The latest incident was documented on footage released by the US Coast Guard, showing a naval team boarding and seizing the vessel. According to the authorities, the ship had been detained under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2331, which targets Venezuelan officials suspected of supporting narcoterrorism and money laundering operations.
Details about the seized tanker remain scarce, but an official statement from the US Department of State indicated that it was a Liberian-flagged vessel. The cargo's intended destination remains unknown, while investigations are ongoing to determine its connection to Venezuela.
This development has heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas, with US officials emphasizing their commitment to enforcing international sanctions aimed at crippling the Venezuelan regime. Diplomatic relations between the two nations have been strained in recent years due to allegations of human rights abuses and alleged support for anti-US groups in Latin America.
As global energy markets continue to grapple with supply chain disruptions and geopolitics-driven volatility, these seizures underscore the ongoing efforts by Western powers to counter perceived influences from Venezuela's embattled government.
The latest incident was documented on footage released by the US Coast Guard, showing a naval team boarding and seizing the vessel. According to the authorities, the ship had been detained under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2331, which targets Venezuelan officials suspected of supporting narcoterrorism and money laundering operations.
Details about the seized tanker remain scarce, but an official statement from the US Department of State indicated that it was a Liberian-flagged vessel. The cargo's intended destination remains unknown, while investigations are ongoing to determine its connection to Venezuela.
This development has heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas, with US officials emphasizing their commitment to enforcing international sanctions aimed at crippling the Venezuelan regime. Diplomatic relations between the two nations have been strained in recent years due to allegations of human rights abuses and alleged support for anti-US groups in Latin America.
As global energy markets continue to grapple with supply chain disruptions and geopolitics-driven volatility, these seizures underscore the ongoing efforts by Western powers to counter perceived influences from Venezuela's embattled government.