4 ms·

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/world/americas/venezuela-cuba-oil-tanker.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/world/americas/venezuela-... > The oil tank

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/world/americas/venezuela-cuba-oil-tanker.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/world/americas/venezuela-... > The oil tanker seized by the United States off the coast of Venezuela this week was part of the Venezuelan government’s effort to support Cuba, according to documents and people inside the Venezuelan oil industry. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/world/americas/cuba-oil-blockade-trump.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/world/americas/cuba-oil-b... > Three days later, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a tanker full of Colombian fuel oil en route to Cuba that had gotten within 70 miles of the island, the data showed. > The U.S. government called its 1962 policy a “quarantine” to avoid using the word “blockade,” which legally could be interpreted as an act of war. The Trump administration has also avoided using the word “blockade.” The distinction seems to be mostly word games at this point.

Manuel_D 6mo ago
This ship was flying a false flag [1], which makes it legal for governments to seize regardless of the situation with Cuba. 1. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-we-know-oil-tanker-the-skipper-seized-us-near-venezuela/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-we-know-oil-tanker-the-ski...
- vrganj 6mo ago
  [flagged]
  - Manuel_D 6mo ago
    Do you not realize that flying a false flag is illegal? It's the maritime equivalent of putting a fake license plate on your car. I'm seriously baffled at your attempt to equate boarding ships that are breaking maritime law with saying women invite rape by the way they dress.
    - j_maffe 6mo ago
      Do you also not realize that starving people of life-saving resources is also illegal? https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/02/un-experts-condemn-us-executive-order-imposing-fuel-blockade-cuba https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/02/un-experts-c...
  - janderson215 6mo ago
    This is a ridiculous false equivalence and muddies the waters of any serious dissent.
- ceejayoz 6mo ago
  And the Ocean Mariner, that they didn't seize, and just escorted out of the area?
  - Manuel_D 6mo ago
    The Ocean Mariner departed Columbia with the stated destination of the Dominican Republic. But it started sailing towards Cuba. When it realized that it was being tracked by the USCG, it changed course towards the Dominican Republic. We don't know with certainty what it's intent was, but it's likely it was trying to sell oil to Cuba surreptitiously, so as to avoid triggering retaliatory tariffs against Colombia. The ship was free to dock and offload in Cuba, but that would trigger tarrifs against Colombian exports the US. Which is why it turned around when it realized it was spotted. All the coast guard did was ensure that the ship docked at its stated destination.
- lostlogin 6mo ago
  When the Russian shadow fleet exports oil this way, the US turns a blind eye
  - Manuel_D 6mo ago
    The US has seized Russian shadow fleet vessels: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-seizing-venezuela-linked-oil-tanker-after-weeks-long-pursuit-2026-01-07/ https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-seizing-venezuela...
- swat535 6mo ago
  It's amazing you're talking about international law, which US never respects anyway. In fact, they are actively in the middle of an illegal war with Iran, never mind the fact of violating the ceasefire by causing a blocking.. I'm not going to go into details regarding the US record of breaking international law (which I'm sure you're aware of), but I digresses. Meanwhile, you're lecturing us whilst completely disregarding the main focus of the article, which is the humanitarian crisis United State is causing across the world. I, for one am proud of my country (Canada) for defying US "embargo". Canada is actively opposing its effects by providing humanitarian aid and maintaining normal trade/diplomatic relations with Cuba. You can expect many other nations to follow.

Manuel_D 6mo ago

This ship was flying a false flag [1], which makes it legal for governments to seize regardless of the situation with Cuba. 1. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-we-know-oil-tanker-the-skipper-seized-us-near-venezuela/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-we-know-oil-tanker-the-ski...

vrganj 6mo ago
[flagged]
- Manuel_D 6mo ago
  Do you not realize that flying a false flag is illegal? It's the maritime equivalent of putting a fake license plate on your car. I'm seriously baffled at your attempt to equate boarding ships that are breaking maritime law with saying women invite rape by the way they dress.
  - j_maffe 6mo ago
    Do you also not realize that starving people of life-saving resources is also illegal? https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/02/un-experts-condemn-us-executive-order-imposing-fuel-blockade-cuba https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/02/un-experts-c...
- janderson215 6mo ago
  This is a ridiculous false equivalence and muddies the waters of any serious dissent.
ceejayoz 6mo ago
And the Ocean Mariner, that they didn't seize, and just escorted out of the area?
- Manuel_D 6mo ago
  The Ocean Mariner departed Columbia with the stated destination of the Dominican Republic. But it started sailing towards Cuba. When it realized that it was being tracked by the USCG, it changed course towards the Dominican Republic. We don't know with certainty what it's intent was, but it's likely it was trying to sell oil to Cuba surreptitiously, so as to avoid triggering retaliatory tariffs against Colombia. The ship was free to dock and offload in Cuba, but that would trigger tarrifs against Colombian exports the US. Which is why it turned around when it realized it was spotted. All the coast guard did was ensure that the ship docked at its stated destination.
lostlogin 6mo ago
When the Russian shadow fleet exports oil this way, the US turns a blind eye
- Manuel_D 6mo ago
  The US has seized Russian shadow fleet vessels: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-seizing-venezuela-linked-oil-tanker-after-weeks-long-pursuit-2026-01-07/ https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-seizing-venezuela...
swat535 6mo ago
It's amazing you're talking about international law, which US never respects anyway. In fact, they are actively in the middle of an illegal war with Iran, never mind the fact of violating the ceasefire by causing a blocking.. I'm not going to go into details regarding the US record of breaking international law (which I'm sure you're aware of), but I digresses. Meanwhile, you're lecturing us whilst completely disregarding the main focus of the article, which is the humanitarian crisis United State is causing across the world. I, for one am proud of my country (Canada) for defying US "embargo". Canada is actively opposing its effects by providing humanitarian aid and maintaining normal trade/diplomatic relations with Cuba. You can expect many other nations to follow.