American sanctions target Hong Kong and mainland China-based companies and tankers linked to Venezuela. US Treasury Secretary: Continue pressure campaign against the Maduro regime

The Trump administration has intensified pressure on Venezuela's oil exports, sanctioning several companies based in Hong Kong and mainland China, as well as tankers accused of circumventing restrictions by the U.S.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control added four companies linked to Venezuela's oil industry to the list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons. The department also sanctioned four vessels associated with these companies: "Della," "Nord Star," "Rosalind," and "Valiant."

The U.S. already maintains a sanctions list targeting ships and companies involved in Venezuela's oil trade. However, it is rare for Chinese companies operating in Venezuela to be sanctioned. China is Venezuela's largest oil export customer, with oil exports accounting for about 95% of Venezuela's oil revenue.

In a statement, the U.S. Treasury wrote: "These vessels, some of which are part of a shadow fleet serving Venezuela, continue to fund the illegal drug-fueled terrorist regime of Maduro. The Maduro regime increasingly relies on a global network of shadow fleets to conduct sanctioned activities, including evading sanctions and generating revenue for destabilizing actions."

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated through a statement: "President Trump has made it clear: we will not allow the illegal Maduro regime to flood the U.S. with deadly drugs while profiting from oil exports. The U.S. Treasury will continue President Trump's pressure campaign against the Maduro regime."

Bloomberg reported that according to ship tracking data, only one of the vessels sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury on Wednesday - the "Rosalind" - has recently appeared near Venezuelan waters. The ship usually operates short-distance "coastal transport." However, it cannot be ruled out that other ships have sailed near Venezuela without transmitting transponder data.

The aforementioned sanctions are the latest move by Trump to pressure Maduro over alleged drug trafficking activities. On Tuesday, the U.S. Treasury also imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and companies located in Iran and Venezuela, citing their involvement in arms trading.

The U.S. has also launched attacks on suspected drug-trafficking vessels along Venezuela's coast and imposed blockades on sanctioned tankers to disrupt the country's crucial energy exports. The U.S. Southern Command said on Wednesday that on December 30, U.S. forces sank three vessels, resulting in three deaths. Others on two of the ships jumped into the sea and were later sunk in subsequent attacks.

Compared to the controversial operation in the Caribbean Sea in September last year - when the U.S. launched a second attack that led to the deaths of those who initially survived - the U.S. Southern Command said it had notified the Coast Guard to initiate a search and rescue operation. However, the attack statement did not reveal the fate of those who jumped into the sea. The U.S. Southern Command also stated that it separately attacked two other vessels on Wednesday, resulting in five deaths.

China criticized the U.S. blockade of Venezuela's ports as "unilateral bullying" and stated that seizing ships violates international law. Despite U.S. sanctions, Chinese private refining companies, internationally known as "Teapot" refineries, have been reliable buyers of Venezuelan crude oil for years, with their refining capacity accounting for one-fifth of the country's total refining capacity. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment during non-business hours on holidays.

Additionally, Trump confirmed on Monday that the U.S. attacked a facility inside Venezuela, targeting a dock allegedly related to drug-trafficking tankers, marking a significant escalation in military operations. Trump has long threatened to expand the scope of strikes to include land facilities in Venezuela.

CNN reported that the CIA conducted a drone strike on a dock off the coast of Venezuela, which U.S. authorities believe is connected to the Tren de Aragua drug trafficking group. The report cited anonymous sources stating that the attack caused no casualties.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1853130970938368/

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