Venezuela Oil Tanker Seized by U.S. Was Part of Effort to Finance Cuba
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- The U.S. seized the oil tanker Skipper off Venezuela’s coast, which was carrying nearly two million barrels of Venezuelan heavy crude intended to support Cuba.
- Skipper departed Venezuela on December 4, with its destination listed as the Cuban port of Matanzas, according to internal PDVSA data.
- Two days after departure, Skipper transferred about 50,000 barrels of oil to another ship, Neptune 6, which then headed toward Cuba, while Skipper continued toward Asia with most of its cargo.
- Venezuela has a longstanding policy, initiated by Presidents Nicolás Maduro and Hugo Chávez, of supplying Cuba with subsidized oil to aid the island economically.
