Vance called the detained Marinera a "fake Russian oil tanker," and the US Attorney General announced criminal charges for the crew
Kyiv • UNN
US Vice President J.D. Vance called the detained tanker Marinera (Bella 1) a "fake Russian oil tanker," and the country's Attorney General Pam Bondi indicated that its crew faces criminal prosecution.
US Vice President J.D. Vance called the detained tanker Marinera (Bella 1) a "fake Russian oil tanker," and the country's Attorney General Pam Bondi indicated that its crew "failed to comply" with US Coast Guard orders, so they face criminal prosecution, UNN reports with reference to Reuters.
Details
On Wednesday, the US seized two Venezuela-linked oil tankers in the Atlantic Ocean, one of which was sailing under the Russian flag, as the publication writes, "as part of President Donald Trump's aggressive efforts to dictate oil flows in America and force Venezuela's socialist government to become an ally."
Following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a Saturday military raid on Caracas, the US is intensifying its blockade of sanctioned vessels heading to and from the South American country, a member of the OPEC oil-producing group. The White House also stated that it plans to lift some sanctions imposed by Trump on Venezuelan oil in 2019 during his first term.
A week-long chase across the Atlantic ended Wednesday morning when the U.S. Coast Guard and a U.S. military special unit, with a warrant, detained the oil tanker Marinera, which had refused boarding last month before switching to the Russian flag, officials said.
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"Given the presence of a Russian submarine and vessels nearby, this seizure risked escalating confrontation with Russia, which has condemned US actions against Venezuela and already has disputes with the West over the war in Ukraine," the publication states.
It was a fake Russian oil tanker. They were actually trying to impersonate a Russian oil tanker to avoid the sanctions regime
Earlier on Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard also intercepted the Panamanian-flagged Venezuelan oil tanker M Sophia off the northeastern coast of South America, U.S. officials said, marking the fourth seizure in recent weeks. The tanker was fully loaded, according to data from Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA.
The Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, had no oil, but the US claims that it and the M Sophia belong to a "shadow fleet" of tankers used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, the publication writes.
"The only authorized maritime transportation of energy will be that which complies with American law and national security," said White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. "There is unlimited economic potential for Venezuela's energy sector through legitimate and authorized commercial channels established by the United States."
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Marinera crew made "frantic efforts to avoid detention" and "failed to comply" with Coast Guard orders, so they face criminal prosecution.
"As a result of failing to comply with Coast Guard orders, the crew members of this vessel are under full investigation, and criminal charges will be brought against all those responsible," Bondi wrote on X.
China's reaction
The Trump administration also pushed for a deal with Venezuela to redirect supplies destined for China, Venezuela's main buyer, and gain access to $2 billion worth of crude oil.
"The United States' brazen use of force against Venezuela and its 'America First' demand when Venezuela disposes of its own oil resources are typical acts of intimidation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters.
Trump has openly spoken about controlling Venezuela's vast oil reserves in conjunction with American oil companies after the arrest and imprisonment of Maduro, whom he called a drug-trafficking dictator in league with Washington's enemies.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said late Wednesday that 100 people had died as a result of the US attack.
Trump said on social media Wednesday that Venezuela would use funds from its oil deal with the US to buy American products, including agricultural goods and medicines.
Maduro, 63, pleaded not guilty to drug-related charges this week when he appeared in shackles in a New York federal court.
Maduro's Socialist Party allies remain in power in Venezuela, where acting President Delcy Rodriguez is balancing between condemning Maduro's "kidnapping" and beginning cooperation with the US under explicit threats of further military violence from Trump, the publication writes.
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Senior Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, held classified briefings on Venezuela for the US Senate and House of Representatives on Wednesday. Democrats said they wanted more information.
"They are proposing to steal Venezuelan oil at gunpoint and use that leverage forever to run the country," Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut told reporters.
In an interview with Fox on "Jesse Watters Primetime," Vance suggested that the United States would control the country through its oil reserves.
"We control the energy resources, and we tell the regime: you are allowed to sell oil as long as you serve America's national interests, you are not allowed to sell it if you cannot serve America's national interests," Vance said.
Republican Trump said on Tuesday that the US would process and sell up to 50 million barrels of oil stuck in Venezuela under US sanctions, a first step in his plan to revive a sector that has long been in decline despite having the world's largest reserves.
Trump: Venezuela to transfer 30-50 million barrels of oil to the US07.01.26, 11:13 • 4350 views
To make the deal Trump described, the US is "selectively lifting sanctions" on Venezuelan oil, White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday.
Late Wednesday, Rodriguez said her country was open to a deal with the United States. "Venezuela is open to energy relations that benefit all parties," Rodriguez said at a meeting with the country's national assembly leadership.
PDVSA confirmed it was in talks with the US on Wednesday and said the terms of the negotiations were based on "strictly commercial operations on terms that are legal, transparent and beneficial to both parties." But the Financial Times reported that American oil companies are wary of investing in the country given the instability of Trump's foreign policy and will demand "serious guarantees" at a White House meeting on Friday.
Addition
Crude oil prices fell on global markets due to the expected increase in supplies released under Trump's plan.
China, Russia, and Venezuela's leftist allies condemned the US operation to capture Maduro, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of Venezuelans.
Washington's allies are also deeply concerned about the extraordinary precedent of seizing a foreign head of state, as Trump threatens further actions, from Mexico to Greenland, to advance US interests, the publication writes.