Overview
- U.S. Southern Command said Marines and sailors from the joint task force “Southern Spear” launched from the carrier Gerald R. Ford before dawn and detained the tanker Veronica without incident.
- The command asserted the ship was operating in violation of the quarantine applied to sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the government is tracking the entire shadow fleet tied to Venezuela and declined to discuss operational specifics of the latest seizure.
- Vessel-tracking data indicated Veronica sailed under Guyana’s flag, with positions recorded near Aruba about 12 days prior to the interdiction.
- White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the administration will continue to seize tankers departing Venezuela without U.S. authorization, with Veronica marking the sixth such action this month.