The US has intercepted a third vessel off Venezuela in less than a week, intensifying pressure on President Nicolas Maduro.
The US Coast Guard is pursuing the Bella 1, described as part of a sanctioned shadow fleet used to evade oil restrictions.
US officials say the vessel was flying a false flag, is empty, and was heading to load Venezuelan oil under a judicial seizure order.
The latest move follows the boarding of the Centuries, carrying 1.8 million barrels of sanctioned crude, and Trump’s oil blockade.
Caracas has condemned the actions as piracy and theft, vowing to raise the issue at the UN Security Council.
Washington says the measures target oil revenues funding narco-terrorism, while critics warn of legal and military escalation.
The crisis has deepened regional divisions, with Latin American leaders split over US intervention and its wider impact.
Al Jazeera’s Heidi Zhou-Castro joins us live from Washington, DC, while Teresa Bo covers regional reactions from Buenos Aires.
Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera
Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/
Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/
Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile
#Venezuela #USVenezuela #DonaldTrump #NicolasMaduro #RussiaChina #VenezuelanOilSanctions #VenezuelaBlockade #CaribbeanTensions #VenezuelaSanctions #VenezuelaUSTensions
