US military seizes another oil tanker that departed Venezuela

The government announced the capture of another oil tanker attempting to evade Venezuelan oil sanctions in the Caribbean, the fifth seized by U.S. forces in recent weeks. The operation was made public on the same day that Trump will meet with top executives of American oil companies.

In a predawn operation, marines from the Joint Task Force Southern Spear deployed from the USS Gerald R. Ford boarded the vessel Olina. The seizure was "without incident," according to military sources.

"The world’s criminals are on notice," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted in reporting the capture. Noem assured that the vessel was part of the "ghost fleet," as vessels used by sanctioned countries (mostly Russia) to evade penalties are known.

"The ghost fleets will not outrun justice. They will not hide under false claims of nationality," the secretary added before issuing a warning: "The Coast Guard will seize sanctioned oil tankers, enforce U.S. and international law, and eliminate these funding streams for illicit activity including narco-terrorism."

Coordination with Caracas and meetings with oil executives

The information was reported just one day after the capture of the Bella I, also linked to Venezuelan oil transportation, and also shortly after Donald Trump announced that American oil companies were willing to invest $100 billion in Venezuelan reserves. He himself affirmed that on Friday he will meet with a score of top executives of the oil sector at the White House.

Trump also assured in recent hours that Washington and Caracas are "working well together, especially as it pertains to rebuilding, in a much bigger, better and more modern form, their oil and gas infrastructure."

"Because of this cooperation, I have cancelled the previously expected second wave of attacks," he said. The first wave occurred over the weekend and preceded the extraction of dictator Nicolás Maduro.