The oil tanker confiscated by the United States off the coast of Venezuela was flying a false flag of Guyana, a neighboring country that has backed the U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean. According to a statement from the Guyana Maritime Administration (Marad), the tanker named 'Skipper' 'is not registered in Guyana.' 'Marad has observed the proliferation and the unacceptable trend of unauthorized use of the Guyanese flag by vessels not registered in Guyana,' the note denounced. The entity assured that it will continue to collaborate with international partners and other maritime agencies to 'identify, pursue, and take firm action against any unauthorized use of the Guyanese flag.' Regarding yesterday's operation in Caribbean waters, U.S. President Donald Trump said it was 'a very large tanker, the largest ever seized.' Meanwhile, the Venezuelan government described the confiscation of the vessel as 'an outright robbery' and warned that it will go to international bodies to denounce this 'serious international crime.' The seizure of the oil tanker occurred on the same day that Guyana announced the signing of an agreement with the U.S. Guyanese President Irfaan Ali detailed that the agreement provides for the 'reinforcement' of training and long-term collaboration under existing agreements such as Shiprider, which allows U.S. security personnel to pursue, intercept, and board drug trafficking vessels in Guyanese waters. The signing came after meetings with senior U.S. officials, including the principal advisor to the Secretary of War, Patrick Weaver, and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Joseph Humire. Since the U.S. Southern Command began the 'Southern Spear' operation, they have sunk about two dozen vessels allegedly carrying drugs, extrajudicially killing more than 80 crew members described by Washington as 'narco-terrorists.' Guyana maintains a long-standing border dispute with Venezuela over the Essequibo region, administered by Georgetown but claimed by Caracas.
