Interesting back-channel scuttlebutt on this.
Last year, a Russian ship leasing company commandeered two ships leased to One Ocean Expeditions. Argument was the ships were in need of modernization and repairs. OOE leases 3 ships from this company, one of which is the Resolute in this story.
The Resolute is the last ship available to the company to generate any revenue, and OOE is near bankruptcy due to the loss of their leased vessels.
There's arbitration and lawsuits going on to try and free up the two commandeered ships.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/news/cruise-ships-seized-russian-authorities-putting-hundreds-of-once-in-lifetime-holidays-at-risk/How much pull might a Russian ship company have with the Venezuelan military, to try and ruin a company? Are there other Russian or Venezuelan companies trying to make a go at this industry, and sidelining OOE is good for them?
I came across this, trying to dig around and see if Columbia Cruise Services or One Ocean Expeditions had any CIA or US State Dept ties, and if the Venezuelans had any immediately tangible ground to stand upon with the accusations of mercenary activities. I could see the State Dept leasing an off-the-books transport of human assets during a time when the ship is supposedly idle or in transit from one pole to the other. Drop off some assets 20 miles off shore in a dinghy and just not look to hard at their equipment.