The US has seized another oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.

WASHINGTON – United States security forces seized another oil tanker today in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. The information reported by American media outlets was confirmed by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. This is the second such incident in the last two weeks.

Reuters was the first to report on the incident, stating that the operation, whose exact location is unclear, was led by the Coast Guard. An American official described the operation to the AP as a „voluntary boarding.“ According to the official, the tanker stopped voluntarily and allowed American forces to board. Noemová, who to her contribution She also attached a video and wrote that the operation took place before dawn local time and that the Coast Guard was assisted by the army. According to her, the United States will continue to crack down on „illegal movements of oil subject to sanctions.“.

Reuters initially claimed that the ship was subject to US sanctions, but according to CNN, this is not the case. According to television reports, the tanker was sailing under the Panamanian flag and was carrying Venezuelan oil to Asia. US President Donald Trump, who has been stepping up pressure on the Venezuelan government for weeks, announced on Wednesday night that he had ordered a complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers sailing to or from Venezuela.

Last week, the United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro called piracy. Reuters reported that some tankers bound for Venezuela changed course after the US intervention. Loaded ships, on the other hand, prefer to remain in Venezuelan waters. Oil is the main source of income for the Venezuelan government. Next week, at Venezuela's request, an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council will be held.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on both countries to exercise restraint and to comply with their obligations under international law, including the UN Charter. Washington openly admits that its goal is to change the Venezuelan regime. It claims that Maduro is involved in drug trafficking. Caracas rejects the accusations and warns that the United States is preparing for aggression against Venezuela and violent regime change.

ČTK/ceskenoviny.cz/gnews.cz-jav