Washington [US], January 11: AFP reported on January 10th that US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said US forces had seized the oil tanker Olina on charges of attempting to violate a US maritime blockade.
According to Ms. Noem, the ship is suspected to belong to the "dark fleet" that carries embargoed oil from Venezuela.
US President Donald Trump said the seizure was carried out in coordination with Venezuela's interim government , after the ship left the country without US approval. Venezuela's Ministry of Oil and the country's PDVSA oil company confirmed that the Olina, previously named Minerva M, had returned to Venezuelan waters. On January 7, the M Sophia, one of 12 ships that left Venezuela this month, was also seized by the US in the Caribbean Sea.
According to informed sources, three oil tankers, Skylyn, Min Hang, and Merope, returned to Venezuela on January 8. In addition, seven more oil tankers are expected to return this week. "In just the last 24 hours, at least seven oil tankers from the shadow fleet have returned to avoid interception, because they know that we mean what we say," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on social media. All the oil on these 10 tankers belongs to PDVSA. The corporation has not immediately responded to a request for comment.
On the Venezuelan side, interim President Delcy Rodriguez said the country would respond to US "aggression" through diplomatic means, as her government announced steps to restore relations with Washington following the US arrest of President Nicolas Maduro.
Ms. Rodriguez said she discussed the "serious, criminal and unlawful attack" by U.S. forces, namely the arrest of Mr. Maduro, during an online meeting with the leaders of Brazil, Colombia and Spain.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
