US tries to seize Russian-flagged tanker linked to Venezuela

(Reuters)

WASHINGTON/HOUSTON, Jan 7 – The U.S. was trying to seize a Russian-flagged, Venezuela-linked tanker on Wednesday as part of President Donald Trump’s aggressive push to dictate oil flows in America’s backyard and force Caracas’ socialist government to become its ally.

Having deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Washington is blockading sanctioned vessels in and out of waters off the South American OPEC member. The U.S. Coast Guard and military were trying to take a tanker that refused to be boarded last month and was sailing under a Russian flag, two officials said.

With a Russian submarine and vessels nearby after a two-week pursuit in the Atlantic, the move risked more confrontation with Moscow which has condemned U.S. actions over Venezuela and is already at odds with the West due to the Ukraine war.

Russian state broadcaster RT showed an image of a helicopter hovering near the Marinera and said it looked like U.S. forces were trying to board the U.S.-sanctioned tanker, which is empty.

The U.S. Coast Guard also intercepted another fully-loaded Venezuela-linked tanker near the northeast coast of South America, the officials said, in the fourth such case of recent weeks.