Venezuelan Navy Retweets Questionable ‘Evidence’ In Cruise Ship Case

The Venezuelan Navy has retweeted ‘evidence’ that the ocean liner RCGS Resolute was carrying inflatable boats for commandos to carry out raids. This is part of a narrative that the Portuguese flagged liner is involved in a plot to land mercenaries in Venezuela. On March 30 the liner was involved in a collision with a Venezuelan patrol ship which was attempting to stop it. The patrol boat capsized and sank while the liner, which is ice hardened, was largely unscathed.

The photographic ‘evidence’ shared on Twitter
TWTR
shows some black inflatable boats aboard the liner. Similar posts were retweeted by both the main Venezuelan Navy (officially Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela) and Naval Aviation accounts. One states that the 6 inflatable boats would be enough to move 7 commandos each, 42 in total, to execute raids.

Out of context the statement could be argued to be correct, in so far as the boats could be used to transport commandos (or mercenaries) if they were aboard. But there is always context, and these inflatable boats are normal for this cruise ship.

An internet search would have revealed that they were previously carried. For example when the liner was docked in Buenos Aires, Argentina in November last year. The ship had 162 passengers and 98 crew on board for an Antarctic cruise. At least 8 inflatables appear to have been present.

And the website of One Ocean Expeditions, which has RCGS Resolute as their flagship, shows inflatables being used by passengers. They are used to take them close to whales, seals and other wildlife. So the presence of the inflatables does not appear to be a smoking gun.

The allegedly suspicious image also shows a stack of brightly colored kayaks which are not mentioned. The original tweets also contained two images of similar inflatable boats in military service. One of these actually shows Mexican troops participating in an exercise in 2018. based on the equipment, the other one appears to show Peruvian Navy commandos.

The exact circumstances of the incident in which the Venezuelan patrol ship BVL Naiguatá was sunk are disputed. It occurred around midnight on March 30 while the liner drifting near Isla La Tortuga, an uninhabited island in the Caribbean. The island is the largest offshore island belong to Venezuela. All of the crew of the patrol ship survived. Since the collision Venezuela has accused the Portuguese flagged ocean liner RCGS Resolute of “act of aggression in international waters” and of “aggression and piracy”.

Accusations of a plot involving mercenaries goes back to before the incident however. On March 22 Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused Colombia and opposition leader Juan Guaido of plotting to kill him. He accused the U.S. of bankrolling the operation. The alleged plot, later described by Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez, included paid hitmen from several Central American countries.