The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated this Wednesday that his administration seized a tanker off the coast of Venezuela, amid rising tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
According to the agency Associated Press (AP), the president described the operation as "the largest oil tanker ever captured" and explained that it was an action led by the U.S. Coast Guard with support from the Navy.
Trump did not provide further details about the vessel or the operation, although he mentioned that "other things are happening" and he will discuss the matter later.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to AP that the seizure is part of the government's efforts to increase pressure on Maduro, who is accused in the United States of narco-terrorism.
The announcement came a day after the U.S. military conducted fighter jet flights over the Gulf of Venezuela, marking one of the closest maneuvers to the country's airspace since the start of the pressure campaign against the Venezuelan regime.
The United States has maintained an unusual military presence in the Caribbean in recent months, conducting operations against alleged drug smuggling vessels and implementing enhanced surveillance policies in the region.
Relations between Washington and Caracas are at one of their most critical points in years.
In November, a Russian oil tanker sanctioned by the United Kingdom and the European Union abruptly interrupted its route to Venezuela after a U.S. warship interfered with its course in the Caribbean Sea.
On the other hand, the recent cancellation of international flights to Venezuela, flagged by the global airline association as a "delicate" situation, has left the country increasingly isolated from the world.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration insists on maintaining its strategy of diplomatic, economic, and military pressure on Maduro, while asserting that its objective is to restore democratic stability and security in the hemisphere.
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