The United States has taken control of the Olina tanker in the Caribbean, marking the fifth vessel targeted recently in an effort to reduce Venezuelan oil exports, U.S. officials reported on Friday. The Olina, falsely flying the flag of Timor Leste according to the Equasis shipping database, had previously departed from Venezuela and had returned to the region, as confirmed by an industry insider. In an early morning operation, marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, deployed from the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier, successfully apprehended the Olina in the Caribbean Sea without any incidents, as stated by the U.S. Southern Command.
The vessel, fully loaded with oil, departed Venezuela last week as part of a fleet shortly after the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3. It was en route back to Venezuela when intercepted following the U.S. blockade of Venezuelan oil exports, according to the industry source. The Olina’s last tracked location was reported 52 days ago in the Venezuelan Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), northeast of Curacao, by the British maritime risk management company Vanguard.
The tanker, previously known as the Minerva M and subject to U.S. sanctions since January last year due to its involvement in the unregulated shadow fleet of ships, was targeted by the recent enforcement actions. Another tanker, the M Sophia, was also seized earlier this week as part of the same flotilla that left Venezuela.
Following the recent developments, U.S. forces are closely monitoring the return of several other vessels, including Skylyn, Min Hang, and Merope, to Venezuelan waters. The Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, emphasized the commitment to enforcing sanctions on vessels involved in Venezuelan oil shipments and noted that the oil aboard these tankers belongs to the Venezuelan state producer PDVSA.
As the situation unfolds, the U.S. government is evaluating potential actions regarding the remaining tankers heading towards Venezuela. The Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, affirmed that the U.S. blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains in effect globally.
In a significant turn of events, President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of a planned second wave of attacks on Venezuela, citing positive developments in cooperation with the South American nation. Trump commended Venezuela for releasing political prisoners as a gesture of peace, signaling improved relations between the two countries and collaboration on rebuilding the oil and gas infrastructure.
Trump’s decision to cancel the anticipated attacks aligned with his administration’s acknowledgment of the progress in diplomatic relations with Venezuela. The president’s engagements with Venezuelan opposition figures and government representatives underscore the evolving dynamics in the region.
