Overview
- The U.S. confirmed it boarded the Bella 1, renamed Marinera, in the North Atlantic under a federal court order and reported no Russian vessels nearby at the time of the seizure, with the crew potentially subject to U.S. legal action.
- A second vessel, identified as M Sophia, was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard in the Caribbean after sailing under a false Cameroonian flag and is tied to sanctions enforcement.
- President Donald Trump said the U.S. will take 30–50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude with proceeds controlled by him, while Energy Secretary Chris Wright told industry executives Washington will handle sales and stabilization of output.
- Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president in Caracas as Washington signals conditional cooperation, and Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly condemned the U.S. military intervention.
- Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty in Manhattan to narcotics-related charges and remain in U.S. custody, with the next court date scheduled for March 17.