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US Seizes Oil Tanker Near Venezuela: What to Know
The U.S. seized a Venezuelan oil tanker to increase pressure on Nicolás Maduro amid narcoterrorism charges, while Venezuela called the act piracy, officials said.
- On Wednesday, United States President Donald Trump announced the US seized a large oil tanker off Venezuela's coast, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Coast Guard executing the warrant.
- Officials justified the seizure by citing it targets a tanker sanctioned for supporting foreign terrorist groups, as part of pressing President Nicolás Maduro, who faces U.S. narcoterrorism charges, Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
- According to vessel tracking and PDVSA data, the Skipper left Jose oil terminal between December 4 and 5 after loading about 1.8 million barrels and transferred roughly 200,000 barrels near Curacao.
- Venezuela's government responded by calling the seizure `blatant piracy` and vowed to appeal to international bodies, while U.S. Congress scrutinizes regionally referenced operations on at least 21 suspected drug‑trafficking vessels.
- Legal analysts point out seizing sanctioned items in international waters is unusual under UNCLOS, raising questions as past enforcement precedents involved only oil seizures, while Chevron reports normal operations.
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107 Articles
"The president has adopted a new approach to really focus on what's happening in our own backyard," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained in growing pressure against Nicolás Maduro. Does the operation have to do with drugs or oil? The question to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been posed this Thursday by a related journalist, Peter Doocy, from the FOX chain, the day after the U.S. seized an oil tanker off the c…
·Spain
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U.S. seizes sanctioned oil tanker off coast of Venezuela, Trump says
The U.S. has seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, a move that sent oil prices higher and sharply escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas.
·Canada
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Total News Sources107
Leaning Left32Leaning Right17Center17Last UpdatedBias Distribution48% Left
Bias Distribution
- 48% of the sources lean Left
48% Left
L 48%
C 26%
R 26%
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