US forces on Thursday seized a sixth Venezuelan oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea during a pre-dawn action in coordination with the Department of War, the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department.
This came just hours before President Trump met with Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Corina Machado.
The sanctioned Motor Tanker Veronica was seized in a “safe, seamless operation in accordance with U.S. and international law,” the US Coast Guard said.
“Alongside U.S. Sailors and Marines, our maritime fighting force is bringing every capability at our disposal to interdict ghost fleet tankers and uphold international law. With unwavering resolve, the Coast Guard continues operations to control, secure, and defend our U.S. borders and maritime approaches. We stand Always Ready to defend the American people from threats on the high seas.”
US Southern Command said in a social media post, “In another pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, launched from USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and apprehended Motor/Tanker Veronica without incident. The Veronica is the latest tanker operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean, proving the effectiveness of Operation Southern Spear yet again.”
“The only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully,” Southern Command added.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also declared, “As we’ve now demonstrated through multiple boardings, there is no outrunning or escaping American justice — period. Our resolve is unshakeable and our mission coordination has never been better.”
Video from the operation shows Sailors and Marines approaching and boarding the sanctioned vessel via helicopter.
WATCH:
This comes after President Trump declared that the United States will “run” Venezuela and take the oil, following the capture of Nicolas Maduro on January 3.
“We’re in charge,” Trump told reporters on board Air Force One earlier this week. Oil companies are going to invest “a lot” of money and fix Venezuela’s infrastructure, he said.
Since early December, the US has seized six oil tankers engaged in illicit oil trade and operating as “stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tankers.”
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