Hey fam, big moves down in the Caribbean! On Friday, Jan 9, 2026, US forces swooped in on the high seas and seized the Olina, marking the fifth tanker tied to Venezuela. 🚢💥
The pre-dawn op was led by US Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, launching from the USS Gerald R. Ford. According to US Southern Command, the action was "without incident" — smooth yet firm.
Meanwhile, a team from the State Department's Venezuela Affairs Unit touched down in Caracas. Charge d'affaires John McNamara and crew are scoping out the vibes for possibly reopening the US embassy, shut since 2019. 🏛️🔍
US President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to drop some deets: the US has paused a planned second strike thanks to talks with Venezuela's acting head Delcy Rodriguez. "Working well together," he wrote, as Caracas frees political prisoners and gears up for oil rebuilds. ✌️🤝
Trump also teased a whopping $100 billion from "BIG OIL" players to restore Venezuela's oil scene. Energy Secretary Chris Wright added that the US will not only sell stored Venezuelan oil but also oversee output sales indefinitely. 💸🛢️
On the flip side, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil says they've kicked off "exploratory" talks with the US to address the recent raids and a mutual agenda. And Acting President Delcy Rodriguez is busy on calls with Brazil's Lula, Colombia's Petro, and Spain's Sanchez, pushing respect for sovereignty and international law. 🌐📞
The bottom line? What started as a naval takedown might just steer both countries toward a diplomatic runway. Stay tuned for more updates! 🔭✨
Reference(s):
U.S. seizes another oil tanker as Venezuela begins exploratory talks
cgtn.com
