S. military has boarded a crude oil tanker, the Aquila II, in the Indian Ocean after pursuing it from the Caribbean. The vessel was accused of breaching Washington's blockade on sanctioned vessels traveling to or from Venezuela.
S. quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean. The tanker was carrying about 700,000 barrels of Venezuelan heavy crude bound for China, according to schedules from state company PDVSA.
S. The Aquila II departed from Venezuelan waters in early January as part of a flotilla of vessels. It was unclear where the vessel was registered, according to shipping databases.
The Department of War tracked and hunted this vessel from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean. S. will not tolerate vessels operating outside of its sanctions regime.
The Aquila II's actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for international law and the rules-based order that governs global commerce. This move is a significant escalation in the ongoing crisis in Venezuela and highlights the need for increased vigilance and cooperation among nations to prevent such incidents in the future.
The use of military force to board a tanker is a serious escalation of the situation, and it underscores the gravity of the U.S. government's concerns about Venezuela's sanctions regime. As the situation continues to unfold, it will be important to monitor the response from other nations and to ensure that any actions taken are in line with international law.
