U.S. forces cease a 2nd service provider vessel off Venezuela coast : NPR

WASHINGTON — U.S. forces on Saturday stopped a vessel off the coast of Venezuela for the second time in lower than two weeks as President Donald Trump continues to ramp up stress on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The transfer, which was confirmed by two U.S. officers acquainted with matter, comes days after Trump introduced a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers coming out and in of the South American nation and follows the Dec. 10 seizure by American forces of an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast.

The officers weren’t licensed to debate publicly the continued navy operation and spoke on situation of anonymity. The motion was described as a “consented boarding,” with the tanker stopping voluntarily and permitting U.S. forces to board it, one official mentioned.

The Pentagon and White Home officers didn’t instantly reply to a requests for remark.

Trump earlier this month introduced that Coast Guard had seized an oil tanker within the Caribbean Sea and vowed that the U.S. would perform a blockade of Venezuela. All of it comes as Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric towards Maduro and warned that the longtime Venezuelan chief’s days in energy are numbered.

Trump this week demanded that Venezuela return belongings that it seized from U.S. oil firms years in the past, justifying anew his announcement of a “blockade” towards oil tankers touring to or from the South American nation that face American sanctions.

Trump cited the misplaced U.S. investments in Venezuela when requested about his latest tactic in a stress marketing campaign towards Maduro, suggesting the Republican administration’s strikes are no less than considerably motivated by disputes over oil investments, together with accusations of drug trafficking. Some sanctioned tankers already are diverting away from Venezuela.

“We’re not going to be letting anyone going by means of who should not be going by means of,” Trump instructed reporters. “You keep in mind they took all of our vitality rights. They took all of our oil not that way back. And we wish it again. They took it — they illegally took it.”