Venezuela's National Assembly approved a law imposing up to 20 years in prison for supporting tanker seizures or blockades. The move follows the US seizure of two Venezuelan oil tankers this month. Vi

Panama's foreign minister said on Monday that a tanker recently intercepted by the U.S. that was under Panama's flag did not respect the country's maritime rules and had disconnected its transponder while navigating out of Venezuelan waters carrying a crude cargo.

U.S. forces on Saturday stopped a second merchant vessel off the coast of Venezuela in international waters, two American officials told The Associated Press.