According to US officials, the Trump administration is seizing oil tankers under an expanding oil embargo to warn opponents trying to gain a foothold in the Western Hemisphere while increasing Washington's influence in Latin America. US government officials said that two oil tankers linked to Venezuela were seized on Wednesday, bringing the total number of tankers seized in recent weeks to four, which provided the US with a bargaining chip to put pressure on the Venezuelan interim government.

According to US officials, the Trump administration is seizing oil tankers under an expanding oil embargo to warn opponents trying to gain a foothold in the Western Hemisphere while increasing Washington's influence in Latin America. US government officials said that two oil tankers linked to Venezuela were seized on Wednesday, bringing the total number of tankers seized in recent weeks to four, which provided the US with a bargaining chip to put pressure on the Venezuelan interim government.