President Donald Trump announced plans to "selectively" remove some sanctions so the U.S. can oversee the sale of Venezuela's petroleum worldwide.
The seizures of the tankers in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea reflect the Republican administration's determination to enforce an existing oil embargo on Venezuela as Trump has pledged the U.S. will "run" the country following the ouster of President Nicolás Maduro.
Venezuela holds the world's largest proven reserves of crude oil. What of it that's now transported in and out of the country will be through channels consistent with U.S. law and national security interests, the U.S. Energy Department said.
That level of control could give the Trump administration a tight hold on oil supplies globally in ways that could enable it to influence prices.