US Coast Guard actively pursues a sanctioned “dark fleet” tanker in international waters near Venezuela, flying a false flag under judicial seizure order.
The tanker, identified as Bella 1 VLCC heading to load Venezuelan oil, refused boarding Saturday and fled northeast into Atlantic with Coast Guard in pursuit.
Recent seizures
Second tanker “Centuries” seized Saturday, carrying PDVSA oil despite not on sanctions list. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called it part of Venezuelan shadow fleet funding “narcoterrorist Maduro regime.”
First tanker Skipper seized December 10, transporting sanctioned Venezuelan oil to Iran, now escorted to Galveston, Texas.
Sanctions background
US Treasury sanctioned Bella 1 last year for carrying sanctioned cargo, linking owner to Iran and IRGC. Trump administration accuses Venezuela of funding drug crime via oil; Maduro calls seizures “piracy.”
US doubled Maduro capture reward, designated government Foreign Terrorist Organization, ordered tanker blockade last week.
International reactions
Venezuela requested UN Security Council emergency session Tuesday over “US aggression.” Maduro claims US seeks oil riches; world’s largest proven reserves.
China sided with Venezuela on Monday, denouncing unilateral sanctions lacking international law or UN basis, affirming Caracas’s independent development rights.
Source: BBC
Also read: Maduro confirms “cordial” phone call with Trump amid US-Venezuela tensions
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