US in pursuit of third oil tanker off Venezuelan coast
What's the story
The United States is now pursuing a third oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, Al Jazeera reported. The move is part of a pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government. A US official was quoted as saying that the Coast Guard is "in active pursuit" of this vessel, which they claim is part of Venezuela's "dark fleet" trying to evade sanctions on its oil sector.
Vessel details
US Coast Guard's pursuit of sanctioned vessel
The British maritime risk management group Vanguard identified the vessel as Bella 1. This very large crude oil carrier was added to the US Treasury Department's sanctions list last year because of its links to Iran. According to TankerTrackers.com, Bella 1 was empty when it approached Venezuela on Sunday.
Military presence
US military buildup and vessel seizures near Venezuela
This campaign against Venezuela's oil sector comes amid a major US military buildup in the region. The US military's stated mission is to combat drug trafficking, with over two dozen strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near South America. Critics have questioned the legality of these attacks, which have resulted in over 100 deaths.
Economic impact
White House defends vessel seizures, denies impact on US economy
The White House has defended the seizure of these vessels, saying they were operating on the black market and supplying oil to sanctioned countries. Kevin Hassett, director of the White House's National Economic Council, said these actions wouldn't affect US oil prices as they were black market ships. He said that the first seized tanker, the Skipper, is now docked off the Texas shore for unloading and refining of 1.9 million barrels of crude in America.
Criticism and concerns
US operation faces criticism, concerns over potential rights violations
The US operation has drawn criticism even from within President Trump's Republican Party. Senator Rand Paul called it a "provocation and a prelude to war." He added, "At any point in time, there are 20, 30 governments around the world that we don't like that are either socialist or communist or have human rights violations. We could really, literally go through a couple dozen, but it isn't the job of the American soldier to be the policeman of the world.