"Zoom in: The Panamanian-flagged Bella 1 was not filled with oil at the time it was pursued and was on its way to load up in Venezuela, according to one of the sources familiar with the action. Bella 1 was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2024 for cargoes that allegedly enriched the terrorist group Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force. Bloomberg first reported the planned seizure."
"Between the lines: A senior administration official said the U.S. received permission from the government of Panama to board the Panamanian-flagged Centuries and Bella 1. Under the Salas-Becker Agreement of 2002, the two countries have worked collaboratively to crack down on sanctioned vessels. Panama's president, José Raúl Mulino, is also a U.S. ally and dislikes Maduro, the official said, pointing out that Mulino presented a dress to anti-Maduro activist Maria Corina Machado in Oslo where she was awarded the Nobel Prize."
U.S. forces interdicted several vessels linked to sanctions, including Bella 1, Skipper and Centuries. Bella 1 was empty when pursued and was en route to load in Venezuela. Bella 1 carried a 2024 U.S. Treasury sanction for alleged cargoes that enriched Hezbollah and the IRGC-Quds Force. Two other interdicted tankers each held roughly 1.8–1.9 million barrels of crude valued around $95 million apiece. The Skipper was on the U.S. sanctions list; the Centuries was not. Panama granted permission to board the Panamanian-flagged ships under the Salas-Becker Agreement. U.S. pressure on Venezuela also connects to efforts targeting Iran and shared oil transport arrangements.
Read at Axios
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