In a significant escalation of maritime enforcement, United States officials confirmed on Sunday the active pursuit of a third oil tanker linked to Venezuela. This action is part of Washington's stringent sanctions regime against Caracas, aimed at curbing the illicit movement of sanctioned crude oil.
Third Interception in Two Weeks
The latest pursuit, if successful, would mark the third such interception within just two weeks since the reinforced sanctions were imposed. According to reports from AFP, a US official described the operation as an "active pursuit" of a sanctioned vessel from the so-called "dark fleet." The official stated that the ship was flying a false flag and was already under a judicial seizure order for its role in Venezuela's "illegal sanctions evasion."
This crackdown follows the dramatic confirmation over the weekend by US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who shared video evidence of US forces apprehending a second vessel. The footage showed personnel rappelling from a helicopter onto the tanker's deck in a pre-dawn operation on December 20.
Trump's Naval Blockade and Caracas' Response
The enforcement drive stems from an announcement made by US President Donald Trump on December 16. In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared a "blockade" on all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. The justification cited was the recovery of alleged stolen US assets.
To operationalize this blockade, the US has deployed a sizable naval fleet into the Caribbean. While officially framed as an anti-drug operation, the government in Caracas views it as a direct attempt to apply pressure and destabilize the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.
A Pattern of Enforcement
The current wave of interdictions began earlier in the month. On December 10, armed US agents intercepted and took control of an oil tanker named Skipper. This vessel was transporting Venezuelan crude while sailing under a false flag. It had previously been sanctioned by the US for shipments of Iranian oil.
Secretary Noem, commenting on the December 20th operation, emphasized the US commitment to stopping the "illicit movement of sanctioned oil." She detailed that the apprehended tanker had been last docked in Venezuela before its seizure, which was carried out by the US Coast Guard with support from the Department of War.
The consecutive seizures and the ongoing pursuit signal a robust and sustained campaign by US authorities. This campaign aims to enforce economic sanctions through direct military and coast guard action in international waters, significantly raising the stakes in the ongoing geopolitical friction between Washington and Caracas.
