U.S. Seizes Sixth Venezuela-linked Tanker Amidst Oil Sanctions

The U.S. has seized a Venezuela-linked tanker ahead of a meeting between President Trump and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. The Veronica was apprehended in the Caribbean, part of efforts to control Venezuela's oil resources and pressurize President Maduro to step down.

The United States has successfully seized another tanker linked to Venezuela, according to officials speaking anonymously to Reuters on Thursday. This tactical move occurred just before an anticipated meeting between President Donald Trump and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. This development marks the sixth such vessel targeted in recent weeks amid ongoing sanctions.

In a strategic operation, the U.S. military's Southern Command confirmed the pre-dawn capture of the Motor/Tanker Veronica. The tanker was taken in the Caribbean without incident. Southern Command officials stated that the vessel violated President Trump's sanctions and quarantine on Venezuelan oil transit in the region, reinforcing Trump's stance on controlling oil exports from sanctioned nations.

The operation forms part of President Trump's broader strategy to exert pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, with the ultimate aim of ousting him from power. Recent actions by the U.S., including previous vessel seizures, underscore this determination. The interception of ships, often part of a 'shadow fleet' linked to major sanctioned nations like Iran and Russia, illustrates the U.S.'s unyielding crackdown on illegal oil movements.