This Sunday, the United States intercepted and confiscated the cargo of an oil tanker in international waters, off the coast of Venezuela. This is the second boat stopped during the weekend, after being reckless on Saturday. The third in a few days, if there is another similar operation on December 10. The information was provided by Reuters, citing employee information as the source.
US President Donald Trump this week announced a “total and complete blockade” of all Washington-sanctioned oil tankers attempting to enter Venezuela. With this announcement, the Republican removed the few doubts that could be expressed about Washington’s interests in Venezuelan oil as part of the offensive against the government of Nicolas Maduro, which he previously justified solely as a war against drug trafficking. Also as part of this offensive, the United States murdered without prior trial around a hundred crew members of so-called narco-boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
American officials cited anonymously by Reuters did not specify the location of the operation this Sunday; neither does the name of the boat. Since the boat caught on Saturday, you know its name Centuries, which belongs to a Chinese company and which is not part of the list of oil companies sanctioned by the United States, even if Casa Blanca justified this action: “It is a false flag ship that operated as part of the Venezuelan ghost fleet to traffic stolen oil and finance the narco-terrorist regime of (Nicolás) Maduro”, wrote in Trump the spokesperson for Donald’s government, Anna Kelly.
Since the American army, with fanfare like an action movie, took control last week of Skippera sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, a de facto embargo was imposed on Caracas’ energy trade.
Venezuela, like Russia and Iran, has taken years to resort to the so-called “ghost fleet” to escape the harsh sanctions imposed by Washington on its oil industry. This fleet of obsolete boats manages to continue to supply crude oil to its customers.
Despite Trump’s threats of a “total blockade,” tankers continued to leave Venezuela, some escorted by military boats. At least three large boats have set sail in recent days.
Nicolas Maduro’s government said this week it intended to maintain its commitments to ship around 700,000 barrels per day to China, its main customer. Despite this promise, Venezuelan crude exports have fallen drastically, according to Reuters, since the failure of the Skipper, which was sailing under a false Guyanese flag and with 1.9 million barrels on board. The crisis in the Caribbean has resulted in a rise in barrel prices and the diversion of ships heading towards the area.
(Latest News. Expanded).
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