The U.S. Coast Guard is actively pursuing another vessel amid heightened tensions in international waters near Venezuela.
U.S. authorities have already seized two oil tankers this month, one of which was captured on Saturday.
U.S. officials said Sunday’s chase involved “sanctioned Shadow Fleet vessels that are part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion operation.” “They are flying a false flag and seeking a judicial seizure order.”
Washington has accused Venezuela of using oil money to finance drug-related crimes, and Venezuela has described the seizure of the tanker as “theft and kidnapping.”
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a “blockade” on the entry and exit of sanctioned oil tankers.
Venezuela, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, has accused the Trump administration of trying to steal its resources.
U.S. authorities have not yet officially confirmed Sunday’s chase, and the exact location and name of the tanker involved are not yet known.
As of last week, more than 30 of the 80 vessels in or approaching Venezuelan waters were subject to U.S. sanctions, according to data compiled by TankerTrackers.com.
In Saturday’s seizure, a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker was boarded by a specialist tactical team in international waters.
The vessel is not on the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of sanctioned vessels, but the U.S. said it was carrying “sanctioned PDVSA oil.” According to records verified by BBC Verification, the ship has also sailed under the flags of Greece and Liberia for the past five years.
The Venezuelan government said of the incident, “Such acts will not go unpunished.” He added that he plans to protest to the UN Security Council and “other multilateral organizations and world governments.”
Venezuela relies heavily on oil export revenues to finance government spending.
In recent weeks, the United States has increased its military presence in the Caribbean and attacked a suspected Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessel, killing about 100 people.
Sanctions have also been imposed on some of President Maduro’s relatives and companies linked to what the United States calls his illegitimate regime.
“It is clear that the current situation in the Venezuelan regime is unacceptable to the United States,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Friday.
He added that the Trump administration’s goal is to change this dynamic.
His comments were criticized by Venezuela’s foreign minister, who accused Rubio of dragging the United States down a path of “regime change.”
No public evidence has been provided that the ships were transporting drugs, and the military has faced increasing scrutiny from Congress over the strikes.
The Trump administration has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of leading a designated terrorist organization called Cartel de los Soles, which Maduro has denied.
