The United States has taken another Venezuelan-linked tanker. Officials told the media on Thursday ahead of the meeting between U.S. president Donald Trump and Venezuelan leader Maria Corina Machado. This is the sixth vessel that has been targeted since mid December, either because it was carrying Venezuelan oil in its cargo or did so previously. Officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the seizure occurred in the Caribbean. U.S. Southern Command confirmed that the operation took place before dawn, stating: "U.S. Forces apprehended Motor/Tanker Veronica without incident. The Veronica "operated in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine for sanctioned vessels operating in the?Caribbean."

In a press release, Southern Command stated that "the only oil leaving Venezuela is oil that has been coordinated correctly and legally."

According to documents provided by the state-owned PDVSA, and TankerTrackers.com, the Guyana flagged Aframax tanker Veronica left Venezuelan waters empty in early January. The vessel was not returning to Venezuela like other ships in recent days. The seizures were part of Trump’s campaign to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power. This culminated with U.S. troops swooping in to the country on January 3 to seize him and his spouse. Trump has since said that the U.S. intends to control Venezuela's resources for as long as possible, while it works to rebuild Venezuela's deteriorating oil industry with a $100 billion plan.

U.S. SEIZURE OF MORE VESSELS IS TARGETED BY U.S.

The U.S. Government has filed for

court warrants

Four sources said that Washington is consolidating control over oil shipments into and out of Venezuela.

The vessels intercepted to date were either under U.S. sanction or part of a'shadow fleet' of ships that hid their origins in order to move oil out of major sanctioned producers - Iran, Russia or Venezuela.

The maritime authorities in Panama, Cook Islands, and Guyana said that most of the Venezuelan-linked vessels intercepted so far were using fake flags, or their registrations had been cancelled prior to the interceptions. The U.S. seizes a Russian flagged oil tanker last week after two weeks of pursuing the vessel across the Atlantic.

Moscow condemned the move. The latest seizure was made ahead of the meeting between Trump, Machado and their long-time enemy, Maduro.

Trump called her "a freedom fighter" in the past, but dismissed her as a candidate to replace Maduro after his ouster. He said she didn't have enough support at home. According to a classified CIA report presented to Trump, Maduro supporters, such as Rodriguez, are best positioned to keep the country stable. Reporting by Idrees Al and Phil Stewart in Washington and Marianna Pararaga in Houston. Editing by Alex Richardson and Aidan Lewis.

(source: Reuters)