The United States Navy has begun tracking an oil tanker operating in international waters near Venezuela, as tensions continue to rise in the region.
The move follows the earlier seizure of two oil tankers by U.S. authorities, one of which was detained on Saturday, further tightening measures against vessels linked to Venezuela.
According to a U.S. official, the tanker tracked on Sunday is believed to be part of a so-called “shadow fleet” used to illegally evade international sanctions imposed on Venezuela. The official added that the vessel was sailing under a false flag and is subject to a court order authorizing its seizure.
Washington has accused the Venezuelan government of using revenue from oil exports to finance drug-related criminal activities. Venezuela, however, has condemned the seizure of its oil tankers, describing the actions as “theft and kidnapping.”
These developments come after U.S. President Donald Trump issued an order last week to block sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, signaling a tougher enforcement of sanctions on the country’s energy sector.