A crude oil tanker in Venezuela(Image: Getty)
Fears over escalating global tensions have surged following reports that Russia has sent a submarine and additional naval craft to accompany an oil tanker near Venezuela’s coastline, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The empty and deteriorating oil vessel, previously called the Bella 1, has been attempting to dodge a US blockade of sanctioned tankers around the South American nation for more than a fortnight, reports the Express..
The ship, now renamed the Marinera, is alleged to belong to the “shadow fleet” – a collection of vessels that transport oil illegally, according to the Sun. The craft was unable to berth and take on oil in Venezuela.
The US Coast Guard’s chase of the vessel into the Atlantic forms part of a broader crackdown on the worldwide illegal oil trade, including black-market petroleum sold by Russia, the WSJ reported.
US President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, January 6, that Venezuela would be handing over between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil to America.
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Russia President Vladimir Putin(Image: Getty)
“I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” the post read.
He stated the oil would be sold at market value, adding that the proceeds would remain under his oversight “to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!” The White House is reportedly setting up a meeting with oil company bigwigs about Venezuela this Friday, according to an anonymous source.
Executives from Exxon, Chevron and ConocoPhillips are anticipated to join the Oval Office discussion.
This move follows the recent apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, 63, and his wife Cilla Flores, 69, by an elite US military unit in a pre-dawn operation on Saturday, January 3, sparking worries over potential conflicts.
Maduro was previously charged with drug and terrorism offences in a New York Southern District court in 2020.