Flotilla of oil tankers break through Trump's blockade of Venezuela

The article reports that 16 sanctioned oil tankers left Venezuelan waters using deceptive navigation and ‘dark mode’ to evade a US blockade, and US officials are drawing up plans to try to intercept a Venezuela-linked tanker that Russia says is on its register.

Sixteen sanctioned oil tankers reportedly departed Venezuelan waters over two days, using deceptive tactics such as falsifying locations and turning off tracking signals. The US is preparing plans to try to intercept one Venezuela-linked tanker that Russia has since listed on its ship register and claimed jurisdiction over. Satellite imagery had shown many of the vessels docked in Venezuelan ports in recent weeks, and the departures followed the reported capture of President Nicolás Maduro by US forces. US officials have also confronted other sanctioned tankers in recent weeks, according to the report. Known details: - Sixteen vessels, mostly carrying Venezuelan crude or fuel, left over two days, with some using fake names or misrepresenting locations in a practice described as ‘spoofing’. - At least four tankers were tracked about 30 miles east of shore; twelve others were operating in ‘dark mode’ and were not located in new imagery. - One tanker originally named Bella 1 was later listed on Russia’s ship register as Marinera after its crew painted a Russian flag; the Kremlin filed a diplomatic request asking the US to stop pursuing the vessel. - US authorities are reported to be drawing up plans to try to intercept the Russia-claimed tanker; recent US confrontations at sea included actions involving vessels named Skipper and Centuries. Summary: Officials say the movements involve sanctioned ships attempting to evade a US-imposed oil blockade and that one vessel now listed on Russia’s register is being pursued. Some ships are being tracked while others are operating without broadcasts, and diplomatic claims from Russia complicate the situation. Undetermined at this time.