Venezuelan Oil Tanker Bound for US Amid Ongoing Tensions
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Venezuelan Vice President and Oil Minister Delcy Rodríguez announced that a tanker operated by US energy giant Chevron has set sail for the United States with a cargo of Venezuelan crude oil. Rodríguez stated via her Telegram channel that the vessel departed Venezuela in compliance with the country’s oil industry commitments.
The minister also shared video footage of the tanker’s departure from port, emphasizing Venezuela’s continued adherence to national and international regulations. “Venezuela has always respected laws and will continue on this path,” Rodríguez asserted, adding that no external forces could hinder the nation’s progress.
This development follows US President Donald Trump’s December 10 announcement about intercepting a sanctioned tanker carrying Venezuelan oil, with Washington intending to seize its cargo. On December 20, the US confirmed the seizure of the Panamanian-flagged Centurion tanker, which was carrying oil for a Chinese trader but wasn’t under US sanctions. Bloomberg later reported on December 21 that another Panamanian-flagged tanker, the Bela 1, bound for Venezuela, had been detained.
