Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Dec 22: The United States is reportedly chasing a third oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela as part of its enforcement actions against what it calls illegal sanctions evasion, according to American media reports on Sunday.
A US official told reporters that the Coast Guard is “in active pursuit” of a sanctioned vessel belonging to Venezuela’s so-called “dark fleet.” The official claimed the tanker is operating under a false flag and is subject to a judicial seizure order.
Earlier in the day, Bloomberg News reported that the tanker, identified as Bella 1, had been boarded by US personnel while sailing toward Venezuela to load oil cargo. Subsequent updates indicated that the pursuit of the vessel remains ongoing.
If intercepted, Bella 1 would become the third tanker linked to Venezuela to be stopped by US authorities in less than two weeks, according to reports.
Just a day earlier, the US Coast Guard boarded another tanker, Centuries, off the Venezuelan coast. Although the Panamanian-flagged supertanker is not itself under US sanctions, the White House said the crude oil onboard originated from Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), which is sanctioned by Washington.
On December 10, US forces seized the tanker Skipper near Venezuelan waters and announced plans to retain its oil cargo.
The stepped-up actions follow an announcement on December 16, when US President Donald Trump ordered a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. At the same time, his administration designated President Nicolás Maduro’s government as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
Data from oil-shipping monitor TankerTrackers.com suggests that dozens of tankers currently listed under US sanctions remain stationed in Venezuelan waters. Oil exports form the backbone of Venezuela’s economy and generate the majority of its foreign income.
Caracas has strongly criticised the US actions, accusing Washington of pursuing regime change and expanding its military influence in Latin America. Venezuelan authorities have condemned the interception of oil tankers as acts of “piracy.”