'US has 'maximum leverage' in governance of Venezuela': White House
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'US has 'maximum leverage' in governance of Venezuela': White House")
Karoline Leavitt Photograph: (AFP)
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, during a press briefing on Wednesday (January 7), said that currently there are no troops in Venezuela and that the US has maximum leverage in the governance of Venezuela
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, in her press briefing on Wednesday (January 7), said that the US has maximum leverage in the governance of Venezuela. “We're continuing to be in close coordination with the interim authorities, and their decisions are going to continue to be dictated by the United States of America,” Karoline Leavitt said during the press briefing.
White House also said that there are currently no troops on the ground in Venezuela. When asked about the security of oil workers in Venezuela, the White House said that Trump reserves the right to use the US military if necessary. Trump is also going to meet some of the oil executives on Friday. "The meeting is on Friday, and it's just a meeting to discuss, obviously, the immense opportunity that is before these oil companies right now," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
Earlier in the day, the United States seized a second oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, according to the US Southern Command. This marks a further intensification of Washington's crackdown on illegal maritime oil trafficking. The tanker, named M/T Sophia, was intercepted during a pre-dawn operation in international waters. US authorities have labeled the vessel as a stateless, sanctioned "dark fleet" ship allegedly engaged in illicit activities. The US Coast Guard has since taken control of the tanker and is escorting it to the United States, where further decisions will be made regarding its future.
The White House also said that an oil tanker intercepted by US forces in the North Atlantic was not legitimately registered as a Russian vessel and was classified as stateless after falsely claiming a national flag. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the ship was part of a Venezuelan “shadow fleet” involved in transporting oil under sanctions. She said the tanker was seized under a judicial order, and as a result, its crew now faces potential prosecution.
According to Southern Command, the operation was a joint effort between the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. US officials highlighted that the tanker lacked a valid national registry at the time of its interception, leading to its designation as stateless under international maritime law. This seizure follows a months-long pursuit of a different tanker, previously known as Marinera. That vessel was targeted last month in the Caribbean for suspected involvement in transporting sanctioned oil linked to Iran and Venezuela. After evading an attempted boarding, the ship reportedly altered its course, changed its name, and re-registered under a Russian flag, after initially falsely claiming to be registered in Guyana.
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