U.S. plans to intercept tanker involved in Venezuelan oil trade, days after Maduro's capture
CBS News••general
Key Points:
- U.S. forces plan to intercept the Marinera, an oil tanker historically carrying Venezuelan crude and sanctioned by the Treasury Department, as part of ongoing pressure against Venezuela's government.
- Venezuelan officials reportedly discussed arming tankers with disguised military personnel and Soviet-era air defense systems prior to the recent capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife by U.S. special forces.
- The U.S. aims to seize the Marinera rather than sink it, similar to the recent operation involving The Skipper, another sanctioned tanker linked to Iranian oil smuggling.
- The Marinera now sails under the Russian flag, complicating U.S.-Russia relations amid sensitive talks over the Ukraine conflict, with Russia officially requesting the U.S. halt interdiction attempts.
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