> The oil tanker seized by the United States off the coast of Venezuela this week was part of the Venezuelan government’s effort to support Cuba, according to documents and people inside the Venezuelan oil industry.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/world/americas/cuba-oil-b...

> Three days later, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a tanker full of Colombian fuel oil en route to Cuba that had gotten within 70 miles of the island, the data showed.

> The U.S. government called its 1962 policy a “quarantine” to avoid using the word “blockade,” which legally could be interpreted as an act of war. The Trump administration has also avoided using the word “blockade.”

The distinction seems to be mostly word games at this point.

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Manuel_D 5 hours ago | parent [-]

This ship was flying a false flag [1], which makes it legal for governments to seize regardless of the situation with Cuba.

1. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-we-know-oil-tanker-the-ski...

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ceejayoz 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

And the Ocean Mariner, that they didn't seize, and just escorted out of the area?

	▲	Manuel_D an hour ago \| parent [-]
		The Ocean Mariner departed Columbia with the stated destination of the Dominican Republic. But it started sailing towards Cuba. When it realized that it was being tracked by the USCG, it changed course towards the Dominican Republic. We don't know with certainty what it's intent was, but it's likely it was trying to sell oil to Cuba surreptitiously, so as to avoid triggering retaliatory tariffs against Colombia. The ship was free to dock and offload in Cuba, but that would trigger tarrifs against Colombian exports the US. Which is why it turned around when it realized it was spotted. All the coast guard did was ensure that the ship docked at its stated destination.

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lostlogin 5 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

When the Russian shadow fleet exports oil this way, the US turns a blind eye

	▲	Manuel_D 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		The US has seized Russian shadow fleet vessels: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-seizing-venezuela...

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vrganj 5 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

[flagged]

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janderson215 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

This is a ridiculous false equivalence and muddies the waters of any serious dissent.

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Manuel_D 5 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Do you not realize that flying a false flag is illegal? It's the maritime equivalent of putting a fake license plate on your car.

I'm seriously baffled at your attempt to equate boarding ships that are breaking maritime law with saying women invite rape by the way they dress.

	▲	j_maffe 5 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Do you also not realize that starving people of life-saving resources is also illegal? https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/02/un-experts-c...