US officials intervene in a tanker carrying Venezuelan oil, escalating tensions amid accusations of illegal trading and sanction evasion.
Officials stated that this intervention is the second operation targeting tankers carrying Venezuelan oil this month. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump accuses the Caracas government of illegal oil trading, arguing that oil shipments from Venezuela are intended to bypass sanctions.
The tanker involved in the intervention, named Centuries, was stopped shortly after departing from Venezuela and continuing its voyage in the Caribbean. The vessel had loaded approximately 1.8 to 2 million barrels of Merey-16 crude oil at the José Terminal in Venezuela in the first half of December. Reports indicate that the cargo belongs to a trading company based in China, known for previously transporting Venezuelan oil to Asian refineries.
Notably, the Centuries tanker is not listed on the sanctions list publicly announced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Nevertheless, the U.S. Coast Guard's decision to stop the vessel indicates a tightening of Washington's de facto control and pressure policy on Venezuelan oil exports.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced on her social media account that the Coast Guard "took control of a tanker that had loaded in Venezuela." Noem stated, "We will not relent in our pursuit of illegal activities financed by sanctioned oil trade. We will find and stop them." Shared footage shows U.S. forces landing on the ship's deck from a helicopter.
U.S. officials noted that there is no court order for the seizure of the Centuries tanker, and the legal status of the vessel, along with the validity of its Panama registration, is under examination. This operation is distinct from another tanker case earlier this month, which was seized for carrying Venezuelan oil and found to be using a false flag.
The Venezuelan government reacted strongly to the incident, stating that they view the forcible stopping of a private commercial vessel carrying Venezuelan oil and the detention of its crew as an act of clear piracy.
In recent weeks, due to increasing tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ordered naval elements to escort oil-laden tankers during their departure from ports. Satellite images reveal that the Centuries tanker was proceeding with military escorts up to the boundary of Venezuela's exclusive economic zone, but these escorts were absent during the U.S. intervention.
According to international maritime law, there must be serious doubts regarding the flag registration of a vessel for intervention on the high seas to be permissible. While U.S. authorities reported that they are investigating the accuracy of the registration information related to the Panama flag of the Centuries tanker, it is assessed that the diplomatic and legal repercussions of the process may increase in the coming days.
Source: www.denizhaber.com
