The United States on Saturday seized a second oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, according to multiple reports from U.S. officials.
The vessel, which had recently departed from Venezuelan waters, was intercepted by the US Coast Guard in the Caribbean Sea. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the action, stating that the tanker was linked to sanctioned activities.
Saturday’s action was the second seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker in the region. U.S. forces had previously boarded and took control of the oil tanker Skipper shortly after it departed a Venezuelan port on December 10. The Skipper, a very large crude carrier previously sanctioned for ties to Iranian oil networks, was carrying approximately 1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan Merey heavy crude.
The operation involved the Coast Guard, FBI, and military support, executing a federal seizure warrant. Venezuelan authorities condemned the action as an act of piracy, while US officials described the vessel as part of a sanctions-evading shadow fleet.
“The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region. We will find you, and we will stop you,” Noem posted on social media alongside a video of Coast Guard units boarding the vessel via helicopter.
Saturday’s seizure aligns with President Donald Trump’s directive announced on December 16, which ordered a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.
“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America. It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before — Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The measure targets vessels on US sanctions lists, aiming to restrict Venezuela’s primary source of income. Since the directive, Venezuelan crude exports have declined sharply, with many loaded tankers remaining in Venezuelan waters.
The operations come as the U.S. maintains a substantial military presence in the Caribbean region. U.S. Southern Command reports around 15,000 personnel deployed, including assets such as the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier group and various warships.
U.S. forces have also launched more than 25 kinetic strikes on drug-trafficking vessels operating in the region, resulting in more than 100 deaths.
President Trump has presented demands for Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro to step down, including offers of safe passage for Maduro and his family in exchange for immediate resignation. The president had for weeks suggested that land-based strikes could commence if Maduro remains in office.
“If we have to, we’ll attack on land. We’re taking those sons of a bitches out. The bottom line is we’re going to do what we have to do to stop the drugs from coming into our country,” he said.
