US forces were engaged in the attempted interception of a Venezuelan-linked vessel yesterday, their third such operation in less than two weeks and the second one of the weekend.

After seizing the Centuries ship on Saturday, the US Coast Guard chased the Bella 1, a sanctioned tanker linked to illicit Venezuelan oil trade, off the coast of the South American country.

The status of the “active pursuit” remains unclear, but a seizure has not been officially reported.

Watch footage of yesterday’s pursuit by US forces here:

Earlier this week, Donald Trump promised a “TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS” on social media as his government accuses Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro, of running a drug cartel. 

The US pressure campaign has also included strikes on so-called ‘drug boats’ and a military build-up off Venezuela’s coast.

A $50m reward has been offered for Maduro’s arrest since August this year.

Previous comments from the Trump administration suggested the goal could be to oust the authoritarian leader and take advantage of Venezuelan oil reserves.

Venezuela is sitting on the world’s biggest reserves of heavy oil, alongside Canada and Russia.