Coast Guard Tracking Tanker Evading Venezuela Sanctions
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U.S. Intensifies Pressure on Venezuela with Tanker Pursuits and Seizures
Table of Contents
The U.S. Coast Guard is actively pursuing sanctioned oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea,signaling a heightened effort to disrupt Venezuela’s attempts to evade international sanctions. These actions,occurring under the Trump governance,target vessels linked to the Venezuelan government and its illicit oil trade.
What Happened?
The U.S. Coast Guard is currently pursuing another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, following the seizure of a Panama-flagged vessel, the Centuries, on Saturday. the Centuries was seized for allegedly operating as part of Venezuela’s “shadow fleet” to traffic stolen oil. both operations are part of a broader strategy to disrupt Venezuela’s sanctions evasion efforts.
A U.S. official,speaking on condition of anonymity,confirmed the ongoing pursuit involves a vessel flying a false flag and operating under a judicial seizure order.This vessel is described as part of Venezuela’s “illegal sanctions evasion” network, often referred to as a “dark fleet.”
The “Shadow Fleet” and Sanctions Evasion
Venezuela has increasingly relied on a network of aging tankers, often operating under false flags and with obscured ownership, to continue exporting oil despite U.S. sanctions. This “shadow fleet” allows the Maduro regime to bypass restrictions imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). these sanctions were initially imposed in response to the erosion of democratic institutions in Venezuela and allegations of human rights abuses.
According to TankerTrackers.com, a maritime analytics firm, venezuela’s oil exports have shifted dramatically in recent years. In January 2019, before the full weight of U.S. sanctions took effect, Venezuela exported approximately 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd). By August 2020, exports had fallen to around 400,000 bpd, with the majority shipped on vessels linked to sanctioned entities.
| Year | Average Monthly Oil Exports (bpd) |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 1,350,000 |
| 2019 | 980,000 |
| 2020 (Jan-Aug) | 400,000 |
Recent Seizures and Legal Basis
The seizure of the Centuries marks the second such action by the U.S. in less than two weeks. On August 26th, the U.S. seized another tanker,the Bella,also suspected of carrying Venezuelan oil. These seizures are based on forfeiture complaints alleging violations of U.S.sanctions laws.
the legal basis for these actions rests on the U.S. government’s ability to seize assets involved in illegal activities,even if those assets are located in international waters.The U.S. argues that the oil being transported is effectively stolen from Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PDVSA, and is being used to fund the Maduro regime.