US Seizes Oil Tanker Linked to Venezuela in Indian Ocean

US Military Seizes Venezuelan-Linked Vessel in Indian Ocean

The US military has confirmed seizing a Panama-flagged tanker, the Aquila II, in the Indian Ocean as part of its efforts to enforce an oil blockade on Venezuela. The vessel was carrying 700,000 barrels of crude oil when it was intercepted by US forces.

According to Pentagon officials, the Aquila II was operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean. US forces tracked the vessel from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean and seized it as part of a campaign to cut off Venezuela’s oil exports.

The incident is part of a series of actions taken by the US to enforce its blockade on Venezuela, which has been criticized by some as “theft” and international piracy. The US has previously intercepted and seized Venezuelan oil ships, including abducting the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, last month.

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez signed a law last month to open up the country’s mostly state-controlled oil sector to foreign investments, in response to the threat of further US strikes. The US has stated that it plans to visit Venezuela soon and engage in dialogue with Caracas over the future leadership of PDVSA, the state oil company.

The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the US and Venezuela, which have been escalating since the toppling of Maduro’s government. The US has claimed that its actions are aimed at securing lower energy prices for American consumers, while Venezuela’s government has expressed concerns about the impact of the blockade on its economy.

Source: Al Jazeera