US Seizes Olina Oil Tanker in Third Week Capture

On 9 January 2026, U.S. Marines and navy sailors boarded the oil tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea close to Trinidad, after the U.S. Coast Guard seized the vessel. The move represents the third tanker grasp in less than a week, following earlier captures of the Sophia and Marinera. The U.S. Southern Command said the Olina had been sanctioned for moving Russian oil under a prior name Minerva M and flew a La‑Pita flag, later switching to Timor‑Leste but with a false registration. The seizure takes place as President Donald Trump meets with ‘Big Oil’ executives at the White House, outlining plans to “take billions and billions dollars of oil from Venezuela” amid the fallout following former President Nicolas Maduro’s ouster and the inauguration of Vice‑President Delcy Rodriguez. The U.S. aims to tighten its grip on Venezuelan petroleum supplies while diplomatic overtures continue back‑and‑forth.