The U.S. is in the process of seizing the Olina tanker in the Caribbean near Trinidad in the fifth such interdiction of ships in recent weeks as part of Washington’s efforts to control Venezuelan oil exports, two U.S. officials said on Friday.
The Olina, which according to public shipping database Equasis was falsely flying the flag of Timor Leste, had previously sailed from Venezuela and had returned to the region, said an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter.
“The vessel’s AIS [location] tracker was last active 52 days ago in the Venezuelan EEZ, northeast of Curacao,” British maritime risk management company Vanguard said separately.
“The seizure follows a prolonged pursuit of tankers linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments in the region.”
The Olina left Venezuela last week fully loaded with oil as part of a flotilla shortly after the U.S. seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, and the vessel was returning fully loaded to Venezuela following the U.S. blockade of Venezuelan oil exports, the industry source said.
The U.S. imposed sanctions on the tanker in January of last year, when it was named the Minerva M, for what Washington said was it being part of the so-called shadow fleet of ships that sail with little regulation or known insurance.
The M Sophia, another of the tankers that was part of a flotilla of a dozen vessels that left Venezuela earlier this month, was seized by U.S. forces earlier this week.
Three vessels — Skylyn, Min Hang and Merope — all fully loaded and part of the same flotilla that left last week, sailed back to Venezuelan waters on Thursday, according to the industry source.
WATCH | U.S. seizes two oil tankers earlier this week:
The U.S. seized two sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela in back-to-back actions in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea, officials said on Wednesday, and is removing sanctions to enable the shipping and sale of oil from the South American country to markets worldwide.
Seven additional tankers from that flotilla, also fully loaded, were set to return to Venezuelan waters on Friday and Saturday, the person said.
All of the oil on board these 10 tankers is owned by Venezuelan state producer PDVSA, the person added. PDVSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It was unclear whether Washington would take action on the other tankers sailing toward Venezuela.
The U.S. blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains in full effect “anywhere in the world,” Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday.
Trump cancels 2nd wave of attacks
The latest announcement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump said he had cancelled a second wave of attacks on Venezuela following co-operation from the South American nation.
Trump said on Friday that Venezuela was releasing a large number of political prisoners as a sign of “seeking peace,” following last week’s dramatic U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Maduro.
“This is a very important and smart gesture. The U.S.A. and Venezuela are working well together, especially as it pertains to rebuilding, in a much bigger, better, and more modern form, their oil and gas infrastructure,” Trump said on Truth Social.
“Because of this cooperation, I have canceled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks, which looks like it will not be needed, however, all ships will stay in place for safety and security purpose,” his post added.
WATCH | Families speak about their hopes for the release of political prisoners:
The U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro unlocked new hope for the hundreds of political dissidents lost in Venezuela’s notorious prisons. For The National, CBC’s Evan Dyer speaks to Venezuelans now living in Canada who say they want to see the Trump administration do more to free their family and friends.
Trump’s comments come hours after he indicated in an interview on Fox News’s Hannity program that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was coming to Washington next week, after previously dismissing the idea of working with her, saying that “she doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country.”
The Republican president, however, had told the New York Times on Wednesday that the U.S. was “getting along very well” with the Venezuelan government, led by acting interim President Delcy Rodriguez.
During the Fox News interview, Trump also said he would meet oil executives at the White House on Friday and that the oil companies would spend at least $100 billion US in Venezuela, which he repeated in his Truth Social post.
