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January 21, 2026

U.S. Seizes Another Venezuelan Oil Tanker in the Caribbean
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U.S. forces have seized another Venezuelan oil tanker in the Caribbean
Sea. This is the seventh vessel to be captured by the Trump
administration as part of a months-long military campaign to control
Venezuela's oil reserves. This comes as President Trump has signaled
he's open to involving right-wing Venezuelan opposition leader María
Corina Machado in some political capacity in Venezuela following the
U.S. military strike that led to the abduction of President Nicolás
Maduro and his wife. Machado and Trump met at the White House last week,
where Machado said she gave her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump.

Venezuela's interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, said Tuesday that the
country has received hundreds of millions of dollars from the U.S. as
part of a deal to supply 50 million barrels of oil to the Trump
administration. Rodríguez spoke from Caracas.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez: "Today, we must report that funds
from oil sales have been received. The first $500 million has been
received. The $300 million has been received. These funds will be used
to cover and finance our workers' incomes, to protect the purchasing
power of Venezuelan workers, to protect them from inflation and the
negative impact of exchange rate fluctuations."



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