While the American military blows up boats it claims are transporting drugs from Venezuela, observers say tankers shipping Venezuelan oil in violation of a US embargo continue to navigate the very same Caribbean waters undisturbed.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has claimed a massive US military deployment within striking distance of his country was part of a plan to overthrow him and “steal” his country’s oil under the ruse of an anti-drug operation.

Has the perceived US military threat affected crude exports from Venezuela, the country with more of the “black gold” than any other?

– Business as usual –

Apart from ships used by US energy giant Chevron — which has a temporary license to extract Venezuelan oil — experts say the Caribbean also plays host to so-called “shadow tankers

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