Anna Hartz
Oil has been at the center of global power struggles for more than a century.
Countries with large reserves often find themselves drawn into conflict over who controls the wealth beneath their soil or sea. In the Caribbean today, another chapter of that struggle is playing out on the water.
No Reported Violence
The United States has seized its sixth oil tanker linked to Venezuela in recent weeks, reports Digi24. The latest ship, called the Veronica, was captured in the Caribbean Sea during a military operation. According to the US Southern Command, Marines and Coast Guard sailors boarded the tanker without any reported violence. The crew was detained, and the ship was taken under US control.
The operation took place before dawn. US forces launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and moved quickly to stop the vessel. Officials say the tanker was operating in violation of a quarantine that President Donald Trump imposed on sanctioned oil ships entering and leaving Venezuelan waters. The move is part of a wider campaign the United States calls Operation Southern Spear.
The Veronica is the latest in a series of vessels that Washington believes are part of Venezuela’s “ghost fleet,” a group of tankers that have been transporting crude oil in defiance of US sanctions. Reuters reports that this is the sixth such ship seized so far.
What The Trump Administration Says
Two of the previously captured tankers included the Marinera, which was seized in the North Atlantic while flying a Russian flag, and the Olina, which was taken in the Caribbean. Those earlier operations caused diplomatic friction, especially with Russia, which condemned the seizures as violations of maritime law.
The Trump administration says these actions aim to curb illicit oil shipments and strengthen enforcement of sanctions against Venezuela. They also come as the United States asserts more influence over the country’s oil exports after the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The White House has not released full details about what will happen to the seized oil or how the ships will be handled in the long term.
For now, US forces continue to hunt down other vessels linked to Venezuela’s oil trade. The effort reflects a broader strategy to control one of the country’s most valuable resources and limit the flow of oil that Washington says fuelled corruption and unlawful revenue streams.
Sources: Digi24
