US stops oil tanker in dawn raid
Nora Fernsted
The US has once again boarded an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.
A video shows US soldiers being lowered onto the deck from a helicopter.
Kristi Noem, US Secretary of Homeland Security, confirms the boarding of the X.
"At dawn on December 20, the Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, stopped an oil tanker that was last anchored off the coast of Venezuela", she writes.
According to Noem, the ship was involved in the illegal transport of oil.
"The US will continue to disrupt the illegal trade in sanctioned oil that is used to finance drug terrorism in the region. We will find you, and we will stop you," she continues.
Trump declares “total blockade”
Last week, the US seized another oil tanker off the coast. After that, Donald Trump declared a “total blockade” against sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela.
This is happening at the same time as there is a sharp escalation of the US military in the region.
Right now, there are eleven US warships off the coast of Venezuela. Among them is the USS Gerald Ford, which is one of the world’s largest aircraft carriers.
“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest armada ever in the history of South America. This is only going to get bigger – and the shock will be worse than anything they have ever experienced before,” Trump said on Tuesday.
Lula’s warning: Disaster
Venezuelan President Maduro accuses the US of illegal operations and believes that Trump is only out to steal oil.
Many are concerned about the escalation in the region.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is warning the United States against military intervention in Venezuela.
It would lead to a “humanitarian catastrophe,” he said during a summit on Saturday with countries that make up the Mercosur trade bloc.
The United States has attacked several small ships it claims are smuggling drugs. In total, there have been 28 raids in which 104 people have died.
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