The ships are using deceptive tactics as part of a seemingly coordinated attempt to bypass American naval forces in the region.

The crew of an oil tanker under U.S. pursuit near Venezuela has painted a Russian flag on the side of the ship in an attempt to claim Russian protection, further complicating things for the U.S. Coast Guard,

The U.S. has imposed sanctions on four firms in Venezuela's oil sector and designated four additional oil tankers as blocked property.

At least two oil tankers have made their way to Venezuela in recent days and others are navigating towards the country, a sign of state-run PDVSA's effort to expand floating storage and keep selling crude even as a U.

Crew members aboard the aging, rusted oil tanker that the US has been pursuing at sea for nearly two weeks appear to have painted a crude image of a Russian flag on the ship’s hull, which American officials believe is an attempt at claiming Russian protection,

Treasury sanctions four Venezuelan oil companies and blocks tankers allegedly helping Maduro's regime evade sanctions and fund government operations.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) on Friday called on President Trump to expand the administration’s seizures of Venezuelan oil tankers to tankers coming from Russia. “He’s been using our

Russia requested this week that the United States end its pursuit of the vessel, which was intercepted in the Caribbean on its way to pick up oil in Venezuela.