The pursuit that went down on Sunday is related to a "sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela's illegal sanctions evasion", a US official said. "It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order." The Washington has accused the Latin American nation of using the oil money to fund crime, while Venezuela has described the tanker seizures as "theft and kidnapping".
Last week, US President Donald Trump ordered a "blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving the country. It is worth noting that Venezuela is home to the world's largest proven oil reserves. However, it has been accused by the Trump administration of trying to steal its resources.
Details of the pursuit awaited
As of now, the American authorities have not officially confirmed Sunday's pursuit, and the exact location and name of the tanker involved are still unknown. More than 30 of the 80 ships in Venezuelan waters or approaching the country were under US sanctions, according to data compiled by TankerTrackers.com .
Meanwhile, the seizure that took place on Saturday involved a Panamanian-flagged tanker boarded by a specialised tactical team in international waters. The ship was not on the US Treasury's list of sanctioned vessels, but the US has said it was carrying "sanctioned
The authorities noted that in the past five years, the ship also sailed under the flags of Greece and Liberia. "These acts will not go unpunished," the Venezuelan government said in response to Saturday's incident. It added that it intended to file a complaint with the United Nations Security Council and "other multilateral agencies and the governments of the world".
The seizures are concerning for Venezuela since it is highly dependent on revenues from its oil exports to finance its government spending. In recent weeks, the US has built up its military presence in the Caribbean Sea and has carried out deadly strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling boats, killing around 100 people.
Sanctions were also placed on some of President Nicolas Maduro's relatives and on businesses associated with what the US calls his illegitimate regime. "It is clear that the current status quo with the Venezuelan regime is intolerable for the United States," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday. He added that the goal of the Trump administration is to change that dynamic.
In the past, the Trump administration has also accused the Venezuelan president of leading a designated-terrorist organisation called
With inputs from agencies.
