The US military says its forces have seized a third oil tanker in the space of a week.
Overnight, US Marines and navy sailors boarded the Olina tanker in the Caribbean Sea, near Trinidad, before the US Coast Guard took control of the vessel, the US Southern Command said in a statement.
“There is no safe haven for criminals,” it added as it announced the capture of the ship.
The tanker seizures have come in the days since Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was deposed, as the US seeks to tightens its control of the South American country’s oil output.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump was meeting with oil executives – whom he described as “BIG OIL” – at the White House. The US firms are a key part of his plan to take “billions and billions dollars of oil from Venezuela”.
The Olina marks the fifth tanker in total that has been seized by US forces since last month.
US government records show that the Olina was sanctioned for moving Russian oil under a previous name, Minerva M, and flagged in Panama.
While records show the Olina is now flying the flag of Timor-Leste, it is listed in the international shipping registry as having a false flag, meaning the registration it is claiming is not valid.
Back in July, the ship’s owner and manager was changed on its registration to a Hong Kong company.
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Business and economics correspondent
The seizure of the Olina oil tanker by US forces operating in the Caribbean is further demonstration of Donald Trump’s determination to leverage Venezuela’s oil industry for his political and economic ends.
It is the fifth seizure of a vessel alleged to be carrying sanctioned oil since December, and the third this week, following the boarding of the Sophia, also in the Caribbean, and the Marinera, a Russia-flagged vessel apprehended in the North Atlantic with RAF support.
By choking off supplies transported by the so-called shadow fleet the US is tightening its grip on the oil reserves that Trump unapologetically believes can help him deliver his political and economic goals; controlling the US’s South American “backyard”, enriching US companies, and sending a powerful message to its adversaries, specifically China.
And watch more from Paul Kelso here…
Venezuela releases political prisoners
In Venezuela, the remaining government is trying to grapple with the country’s transition away from its former leader and dictator.
Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, has been sworn in as his successor. And the government began releasing political prisoners, both foreign and domestic, on Friday.
Family members of those imprisoned gathered at prisons and detention centres after the news was announced, but according to a national human rights group only nine people had been released by around 6pm UK time.
Steps taken toward restoring diplomatic relations
Both Washington and Caracas have made moves to rebuild diplomatic relations.
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The US State Department sent a team to the country as Venezuela’s government said it was starting a “exploratory diplomatic process” with the US government, “with a view of re-establishing the diplomatic missions in both countries”.
