Global tensions have heightened amid reports that Russia has dispatched a submarine and additional naval vessels to accompany an oil tanker near Venezuela’s coast, as per the Wall Street Journal. The vessel, previously known as Bella 1 and now renamed Marinera, is part of the “shadow fleet,” which illicitly transports oil. Despite its attempts, the ship could not load oil in Venezuela due to the US blockade on sanctioned tankers. The US Coast Guard pursued the vessel into the Atlantic as part of a broader crackdown on illegal oil trading worldwide, including black-market petroleum transactions involving Russia, according to the WSJ.
US President Donald Trump, via his Truth Social platform, revealed that Venezuela would be transferring between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil to the US. The oil will be sold at market value, with Trump overseeing the proceeds to benefit both Venezuela and the US. The White House is arranging a meeting with top oil company executives this Friday regarding Venezuela, with representatives from Exxon, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips expected to participate.
These developments come after the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by a US military unit, raising concerns about potential conflicts. Maduro had previously faced charges related to drugs and terrorism in a New York court in 2020.