Sanctioned Ships Still Loading Venezuelan Oil Despite U.S. Blockade

At least half a dozen sanctioned tankers have loaded oil from Venezuela since December 11, when the U.S. escalated the pressure on Venezuelan oil exports, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, quoting data from Kpler. Loadings of oil from Venezuelan ports appear to have been happening in recent weeks at a more or less typical pace despite the U.S. crackdown on vessels involved in illicit oil trade, according to Kpler’s data. Earlier this month, the Trump Administration intensified pressure on Venezuela’s Nicolas…