Tensions in the Caribbean

US has seized ship off the coast of Venezuela

The US has stopped and seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, Donald Trump says. Several media outlets report that the raid was carried out by the US Coast Guard. The president is tight-lipped about the operation.

– It was a large oil tanker. The largest ever seized, he says.

Trump says that “other things are going on” and suggests that more information will come at a later stage.

Bloomberg describes the measure as an escalation in the conflict between the countries. The seizure of a ship could also be a blow to Venezuela’s oil exports. Shipping companies may become more cautious when it comes to shipping Venezuelan oil if ships are stopped by the US, the news agency writes.

There are few details about the raid. The Venezuelan government has not commented on the information.

White House develops secret plan for Maduro's exit

The White House is secretly working on plans for how the United States will act if Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro loses power, sources tell CNN.

The scenarios include both a voluntary resignation and Maduro being forced out through US military operations. The aim is said to be to quickly fill a power vacuum and stabilize the country.

Officially, the United States claims that the latest military reinforcements in the Caribbean and the attacks on suspected drug boats are to stop drug smuggling. But according to CNN, internal plans show that Donald Trump is considering actively ousting Maduro.

In an interview with Politico yesterday, Trump said that he is not sure how far he intends to go to get rid of Maduro, but added that the president's "days are numbered".

The United States flew two fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela

The United States has flown two fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela, writes the AP. The flight appears to be the closest to Venezuelan airspace so far.

The US Department of Defense describes it as a routine flight, but several media outlets are calling it a show of force against President Nicolás Maduro.

The incident comes as the US has intensified its military presence in the region and carried out several deadly attacks on alleged drug boats. Maduro claims the aim is to force him from power, while Washington says the operations are aimed at stopping drug trafficking.