U.S. forces stopped a second merchant vessel off the coast of Venezuela on Saturday, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter. The officials, who were not authorized to discuss the operation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the action was a "consented boarding," with the tanker stopping voluntarily and allowing U.S. forces to inspect its cargo.

The incident occurred just days after President Donald Trump announced a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers coming in and out of Venezuela, a move that has been met with strong opposition from the Venezuelan government. On December 10, U.S. forces had seized an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast, a move that was seen as a significant escalation of the U.S. pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The Venezuelan government has condemned Trump's move to block tankers as an "outrageous threat" to the country's sovereignty. In a statement, Maduro's government described the blockade as a "clear act of aggression" that is intended to strangle the Venezuelan economy.

The U.S. move is part of a broader effort to pressure Maduro's government to step down and allow for a transition to a new, democratically elected government. The U.S. has imposed a range of sanctions on Venezuela, including restrictions on the country's oil exports, in an effort to weaken Maduro's grip on power.

The U.S. officials who confirmed the latest incident said that the vessel in question was stopped off the coast of Venezuela and was allowed to continue on its journey after U.S. forces inspected its cargo. The officials did not provide further details on the nature of the cargo or the identity of the vessel.

The incident has sparked a heated debate about the role of the U.S. in Venezuela's internal affairs. Some have argued that the U.S. has a responsibility to intervene in order to protect the Venezuelan people from Maduro's authoritarian regime, while others have criticized the U.S. for overstepping its bounds and interfering in the country's internal affairs.

The situation remains fluid, with the U.S. and Venezuela engaged in a high-stakes game of diplomatic and economic pressure. The U.S. has vowed to continue its pressure campaign against Maduro's government, while Venezuela has vowed to resist the U.S. efforts and maintain its sovereignty.

As the situation continues to unfold, the international community is watching closely to see how the U.S. and Venezuela will resolve their differences. The incident has raised questions about the limits of U.S. power and the role of the international community in resolving conflicts in other countries.