People locomotion successful beforehand of a crude lipid tanker astatine Maracaibo Lake successful Maracaibo, Venezuela, connected January 12, 2026. After the US raid that deposed Nicolas Maduro arsenic Venezuela's leader, citizens anticipation the ensuing talks connected selling its lipid to US whitethorn amended their dire economical fortunes. (Photo by Margioni BERMÚDEZ / AFP via Getty Images)
Margioni Bermudez | Afp | Getty Images
The United States is handing over to Venezuela a tanker that it seized this month, 2 U.S. officials told Reuters connected Wednesday.
The United States has been carrying retired a months-long effort to prehend oil tankers linked to Venezuela - carrying retired 7 apprehensions since precocious past year.
The officials, who were speaking connected the information of anonymity, identified the vas being handed over to Venezuelan authorities arsenic the Panama-flagged supertanker M/T Sophia. They did not say why the tanker was returned.
The U.S. Coast Guard, which leads interdiction and seizure operations, did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.
The Venezuelan communications ministry, which handles each property queries for the government, did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.
The Sophia was carrying lipid erstwhile it was interdicted connected Jan. 7 by the Coast Guard and U.S. subject forces. At the time, the medication said the Sophia, which is nether sanctions, was a "stateless, sanctioned acheronian fleet motor tanker."
One of the sources did not cognize if the Sophia inactive had lipid connected board.
Trump has focused his overseas argumentation successful Latin America on Venezuela, initially aiming to push Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power. After failing to find a diplomatic solution, Trump ordered U.S. forces to alert into the state to drawback him and his woman successful a daring overnight raid connected Jan. 3.
Since then, Trump has said the U.S. plans to control Venezuela's lipid resources indefinitely arsenic it seeks to rebuild the country's dilapidated lipid manufacture successful a $100 cardinal plan.
Earlier this months, the Sophia and another seized tanker were seen adjacent Puerto Rico.
Along with most tankers nether Western sanctions oregon portion of the alleged shadiness fleet, galore of the Venezuela-linked tankers seized were built over 20 years agone and airs hazards to shipping due to the fact that they deficiency information certification and capable insurance, experts said.
That means that if they person a collision oregon lipid spill, establishing security claims oregon liability is precise hard to impossible, shipping and security manufacture sources said.
Dubai-run GMS has applied for a U.S. licence to bargain and scrap ships seized by the U.S. authorities linked to Venezuelan lipid trading.
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