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Satellite images revealed that at least 11 oil tankers sanctioned by the United States managed to leave Venezuelan waters and evade the maritime blockade imposed by the administration of Donald Trump, transporting millions of barrels of crude oil.
According to an investigation by The Washington Post, six of the vessels were located in the Caribbean Sea over 70 miles (130 kilometers) from the Venezuelan coast, while three others navigated more than 450 miles (833 kilometers) into the Atlantic Ocean.
One of the oil tankers was seized on Friday in the Caribbean, while another was detected off the coast of Grenada, and an eleventh near Colombia, the latter having recently changed to the Russian flag.
The ships are part of a group of 16 sanctioned oil tankers that had been spotted near Venezuelan ports after the blockade came into effect in December, but later disappeared from public monitoring.
Most were transporting crude oil, with a combined estimated load of 9.4 million barrels, according to the independent firm TankerTrackers.com, which collaborated on the satellite analysis alongside academic experts.
Three of the ships that ventured deepest into the Atlantic—the Verónica III, the Bertha, and the Aquila II—are subject to sanctions related to Iran and Russia, according to the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury.
An additional analysis suggested that a U.S. Navy vessel, possibly the guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie, may have been monitoring some of these tankers from a distance, although officials did not officially confirm the identification or its location.
Officials from the Trump administration have described the blockade, referred to as a "quarantine," as a central element of the pressure against the Venezuelan government led by Delcy Rodríguez, following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
The Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the measure gives the United States "the greatest level of leverage possible" over Caracas.
However, energy analysts consulted by the Post noted that the apparent success of several ships in evading the blockade raises questions about the actual effectiveness of the embargo.
Experts warned that, although the main objective is to deter through seizures and displays of strength, it is extremely difficult to impose a total and seamless blockade.
In parallel, U.S. forces have intensified interdictions. This week, two additional vessels were seized, including the Sophia in the Caribbean and the Marinera, which is Russian-flagged, following a prolonged chase in the Atlantic.
Moscow condemned this latest action and accused Washington of violating international maritime law.
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