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Oil tankers are anchored at the Cardon refinery in Punta Cardon, Venezuela. Photo: Matias Delacroix/AP/dpa/Symbolic image
Keystone
US units have once again taken control of an oil tanker in the Caribbean. Marines and sailors seized the tanker "Veronica" before dawn, the US military's Southern Command (Southcom) responsible for the region announced on Platform X.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem wrote on X that it was a sanctioned tanker that had previously crossed Venezuelan waters and violated a blockade imposed by US President Donald Trump. According to Southcom, the operation went "without incident".
The US had already taken control of several tankers in recent weeks. Trump had previously announced that he would impose a "total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela". His reasoning: The South American country had stolen oil, land and other assets from the USA - these would have to be returned.
The post from the US military's Southern Command on the latest seizure now stated: "The only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is properly and lawfully coordinated."
It was only on Wednesday that Trump had expressed his satisfaction with Venezuela's current leadership. He had a long phone call with Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, Trump said, calling her a great person. He wrote on Truth Social that the partnership between the USA and Venezuela will be spectacular "FOR ALL".
The US government had previously made it clear that it wants to control the Venezuelan oil business and thereby exert pressure on the government in Caracas. The blockade of oil tankers is an "enormous lever" to bring about political change in Venezuela, said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In early January, the USA ousted and captured the authoritarian head of state Nicolás Maduro in a military operation in Caracas.
15.01.2026, 20:30
