US sanctions six more ships after seizing oil tanker off Venezuela

BBC:

The US has imposed fresh sanctions on six more ships said to be carrying Venezuelan oil, a day after seizing a tanker off the country’s coast.

Sanctions have also been placed on some of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s relatives and businesses associated with what Washington calls his illegitimate regime.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the seized vessel, called the Skipper, had been involved in “illicit oil shipping” and would be taken to an American port.

Caracas has described it as an act of “international piracy”.

It marks a sharp escalation in the US pressure campaign against Maduro, which has seen dozens killed in strikes on boats alleged to have been carrying drugs from Venezuela. In recent months American warships have been moving into the region.

The Trump administration has accused Venezuela of funnelling narcotics into the US. Venezuela – home to some of the world’s largest proven oil reserves – has, in turn, accused Washington of seeking to steal its resources. Maduro vowed on Wednesday that Venezuela would never become an “oil colony”.

But the White House press secretary told reporters on Thursday that the US was committed to both “stopping the flow of illegal drugs” into the country and enforcing sanctions.