U.S. forces cease a 2nd service provider vessel off Venezuela coast : NPR

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Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP WASHINGTON — U.S. forces on Saturday stopped a vessel off the coast of Venezuela for the second time in lower than two weeks as President Donald Trump continues to ramp up stress on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The transfer, which was confirmed by two U.S. officers conversant in matter, comes days after Trump introduced a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers coming out and in of the South American nation and follows the Dec. 10 seizure by American forces of an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast.

The officers weren't licensed to debate publicly the continuing navy operation and spoke on situation of anonymity. The motion was described as a "consented boarding," with the tanker stopping voluntarily and permitting U.S. forces to board it, one official stated.

The Pentagon and White Home officers didn't instantly reply to a requests for remark.

Trump earlier this month introduced that Coast Guard had seized an oil tanker within the Caribbean Sea and vowed that the U.S. would perform a blockade of Venezuela. All of it comes as Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric towards Maduro and warned that the longtime Venezuelan chief's days in energy are numbered.

Trump this week demanded that Venezuela return property that it seized from U.S. oil corporations years in the past, justifying anew his announcement of a "blockade" in opposition to oil tankers touring to or from the South American nation that face American sanctions.

Trump cited the misplaced U.S. investments in Venezuela when requested about his latest tactic in a stress marketing campaign in opposition to Maduro, suggesting the Republican administration's strikes are no less than considerably motivated by disputes over oil investments, together with accusations of drug trafficking. Some sanctioned tankers already are diverting away from Venezuela.

"We're not going to be letting anyone going by means of who should not be going by means of," Trump advised reporters. "You bear in mind they took all of our power rights. They took all of our oil not that way back. And we would like it again. They took it — they illegally took it."