U.S. seizes another oil tanker as Venezuela begins exploratory talks

The United States seized a fifth oil tanker allegedly linked to Venezuela early Friday morning, as a team of U.S. diplomats and security personnel arrived in Caracas to assess the possibility of reopening the U.S. embassy, according to U.S. officials.

The Olina "was apprehended without incident" in the Caribbean Sea by U.S. Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear in a "pre-dawn action" launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford, according to U.S. Southern Command. 

A U.S. official said personnel from the State Department's Colombia-based Venezuela Affairs Unit, including chargé d'affaires John McNamara, will "conduct an initial assessment for a potential phased resumption of operations" in Caracas, where the U.S. embassy has been closed since 2019. The assessment comes after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were seized in a U.S. raid on January 3.

The military action coincided with signals from Washington that further strikes may be paused amid what President Donald Trump described as cooperation from Venezuelan authorities.

Trump said Friday that a second U.S. strike against Venezuela "will not be needed," praising cooperation from Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez. Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the two sides are "working well together," particularly on rebuilding Venezuela's oil and gas infrastructure, and that Venezuela is releasing large numbers of political prisoners. Seven prisoners were freed on Thursday, with more expected, according to media reports.

"Because of this cooperation, I have cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks," Trump said, adding that U.S. ships would remain in place "for safety and security purposes." The U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean near Venezuela has reached its largest scale in more than three decades.

Trump also said "at least 100 billion dollars will be invested by BIG OIL," and told Fox News that the United States would get "billions and billions of dollars worth of oil," with U.S. oil companies expected to play a key role in rebuilding Venezuela's oil industry. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Wednesday that the United States will not only market stored oil in Venezuela but also control the sales of oil output from the country indefinitely.

At the same time, Venezuelan officials said diplomatic engagement with Washington has begun.

Venezuela has decided to initiate an "exploratory" diplomatic process with the U.S. government, Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said Friday. The talks are intended to address "the consequences arising from the aggression" and the seizure of President Maduro and his wife, as well as to cover "a working agenda on issues of mutual interest." The Foreign Ministry said a delegation of U.S. State Department officials is currently in Venezuela.

Venezuela has also intensified outreach to neighboring and European leaders.

Acting President Delcy Rodriguez said she held phone talks Friday with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. She said the leaders agreed on the importance of advancing cooperation, amid what she described as "the grave criminal, illegal and illegitimate aggression" against Venezuela.

Rodriguez said she briefed the leaders on the U.S. armed attacks, which she said caused the killing of civilians and military personnel, adding that they agreed on the need to advance a cooperation agenda based on respect for international law, state sovereignty and dialogue.

(With input from Xinhua)