Lithuania's prime minister steps down after investigations and protests

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas stepped down Thursday, following investigations into his business dealings that prompted protests calling for his resignation.

Paluckas, a newly established leader of the center-left Social Democrats, ascended to the role late last year after a three-party coalition formed following a parliamentary election in October in Lithuania. His entire Cabinet is also expected to resign, potentially leaving the Baltic country without an effective government weeks before Russia holds joint military exercises with neighboring Belarus.

“Seeing how the scandals are hindering the work of the government, I believe that I cannot allow our ruling coalition and the Cabinet to become hostages to these scandals," Paluckas wrote in a letter to Social Democratic party members. "Therefore, I have decided to take a quick and decisive decision.

"I never cling to any position in life — and so I am open to all scenarios and decisions.”

President Gitanas Nausėda announced Paluckas’ resignation to the media on Thursday morning.

Lithuanian foreign policy is unlikely to change as a result of the government shake-up. Nausėda, who was elected separately, is the country’s face on the world stage and has been one of the most stalwart supporters of Ukraine's fight against invading Russian forces.

Paluckas has recently been dogged by media investigations into his business and financial dealings. Several media outlets published investigations in July regarding Paluckas’ past and present ventures and alleged mishandlings, including ones more than a decade ago. Anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies in the country subsequently launched their own inquiries.

In a devastating blow to his reputation, the media also revealed that Paluckas never paid a significant part of a 16,500-euro (around $19,000) fine in connection with a 2012 criminal case dubbed the “rat poison scandal.”

Paluckas was convicted of mishandling the bidding process for Vilnius’ rat extermination services while serving as the capital city’s municipality administration director. In 2012, judges at Lithuania's top court ruled that he abused his official position by illegally granting privileges to the company that offered the highest price in the bid.

He was also sentenced to two years behind bars, but the sentence was suspended for one year and he ultimately was never imprisoned.

The Social Democratic party leader denied any wrongdoing regarding his business affairs, labeling the criticism as part of a “coordinated attack” by political opponents.

He resigned before the opposition could formally launch impeachment proceedings. New coalition talks are expected to start shortly to form a new Cabinet.

FILE -Lithuania's Social Democratic party member Gintautas Paluckas, nominated as the next Prime Minister, speaks during a Lithuania's parliament session in Vilnius, Lithuania, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis, File)

FILE -Lithuania's Social Democratic party member Gintautas Paluckas, nominated as the next Prime Minister, speaks during a Lithuania's parliament session in Vilnius, Lithuania, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis, File)

FILE -Newly elected Lithuania's Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, speaks to the media at the Parliament in Vilnius, Lithuania, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, coming as part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country’s oil.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote Thursday on social media, “Motor Tanker Veronica had previously passed through Venezuelan waters, and was operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”

A social media post from U.S. Southern Command on the capture said that Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to make the capture while Noem’s post noted that, like in previous raids, a U.S. Coast Guard tactical team conducted the boarding and seizure.

Noem posted a brief video that appeared to show part of the ship’s capture. The black-and-white footage showed helicopters hovering over the deck of a merchant vessel while armed troops dropped down on the deck by rope.

The Veronica is the sixth tanker that has been seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products, and the fourth since the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.

Noem, in her social media post, said that the raid was carried out with “close coordination with our colleagues” in the military as well as the State and Justice departments.

“Our heroic Coast Guard men and women once again ensured a flawlessly executed operation, in accordance with international law,” Noem added.

This story has been corrected to show the Veronica is the fourth, not the third, tanker seized by U.S. forces since Maduro's capture.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill, File)