WASHINGTON, January 7. /TASS/. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has linked the detention of the Russian tanker Marinera in the Atlantic Ocean to the embargo on Venezuelan oil.
"The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in full effect - anywhere in the world," he wrote on his X page, commenting on the US European Command (EUCOM) statement.
Earlier in the day, EUCOM confirmed the detention of the Russian Marinera oil tanker in the Atlantic. "The @TheJusticeDept & @DHSgov, in coordination with the @DeptofWar today announced the seizure of the M/V Bella 1 for violations of U.S. sanctions. The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro," it wrote on its X account.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News on January 4 that the United States would continue seizing oil tankers with Venezuelan oil and targeting boats allegedly smuggling drugs.