U.S. forces have seized two vessels carrying petroleum products linked to sanctions-hit Venezuelan oil exports; one in the North Atlantic Ocean, flying a Russian flag, and the other in the Caribbean Sea.
The oil tanker Marinera, formerly known as the Bella 1, was seized after a two-week chase in the waters between Iceland and Scotland; the ship had recently flown the Russian flag and changed its name to evade sanctions, but the White House has called it a “Venezuelan shadow ship with a false flag” and has no legal status.
The second oil tanker, the Sophia, was seized in international waters near the Caribbean Sea and was found to be carrying sanctioned Venezuelan oil.
US Defense Secretary Pete Heggest wrote on Page X: “The blockade of Venezuela’s sanctioned and illegal oil is being fully enforced everywhere in the world.”
Moscow strongly condemned the seizure, calling it a violation of international maritime law. The Russian Transport Ministry said the ship had only been given a temporary permit to fly the Russian flag and that no country had the right to use force against ships registered in another country. Russian officials called for the Russian crew to be treated appropriately and returned immediately.
The measures are part of the Trump administration’s broader pressure on Venezuela following the arrest of Nicolas Maduro and his wife on January 3, and have increased tensions with Russia.
