Group 1: US Military Actions - The US military has seized a third oil tanker, the Olina, in a week, with US Marines and navy sailors boarding the vessel in the Caribbean Sea [1] - The Olina is the fifth tanker seized by US forces since last month, indicating a focused effort to control oil output from Venezuela [2][8] - The US Southern Command emphasized that there is "no safe haven for criminals" in relation to these seizures [1] Group 2: Political and Economic Context - The seizures coincide with the recent deposition of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, as the US aims to tighten control over Venezuela's oil resources [2] - President Trump is actively engaging with oil executives, indicating a strategy to extract "billions and billions" of dollars worth of oil from Venezuela [2] - The US is leveraging Venezuela's oil industry to achieve political and economic objectives, including enhancing the influence of US companies and sending a message to adversaries like China [9] Group 3: Legal and Regulatory Aspects - The Olina was previously sanctioned for transporting Russian oil under the name Minerva M and is flagged in Panama, but is now listed under a false flag [3] - The ownership of the Olina was transferred to a Hong Kong company in July, raising questions about its operational legitimacy [3]

The Trump administration said Wednesday it will control Venezuela’s oil sales “indefinitely” in the wake of deposed strongman ruler Nicolás Maduro’s capture.Energy Secretary Chris Wright asserted the US will market and sell Venezuelan crude, with proceeds held in US-controlled accounts that he said “can flow back” to Venezuela, a day after President Trump said Venezuela would turn tens of millions of barrels of oil over to the US.“Instead of the oil being blockaded, as it is right now, we’re gonna let the o ...