US EditionUS seizes second vessel near Venezuela as Trump administration ramps up pressure on Caracas
- Reuters first reported that on Dec. 20, 2025, the United States Coast Guard is seizing a second sanctioned vessel off Venezuela in international waters.
- Following last week's seizure of The Skipper, an elite U.S. Coast Guard tactical operations team, President Donald Trump announced a blockade on Dec. 16 of all sanctioned oil tankers.
- U.S. military helicopters are dropping off Coast Guard personnel and observing operations overhead, while anonymous U.S. officials said the Coast Guard is leading the interdiction and declined to disclose the location.
- Loaded vessels have remained in Venezuelan waters, sharply reducing Venezuelan crude exports, and analysts warn the embargo could push oil prices higher.
- Observers say the moves form part of a wider pressure campaign on Venezuela's oil, with a shadow fleet disguising trades since 2019 while China remains a major buyer at roughly 4%.
157 Articles
157 Articles
The US seized another oil tanker in international waters off Venezuela.
Most recently, the U.S. military attacked suspected drug boats in the Caribbean, now for the first time after an announcement of a blockade an oil tanker is launched. The next escalation stage is reached.
Washington, United States. The United States intercepted a new tanker off the coast of Venezuela, according to reports from various Venezuelan media on Saturday, at a time when Donald Trump tightened the pressure on Caracas with an oil blockade. U.S. forces had already seized an oil tanker off the coast of the country last week, an operation that was denounced as “nautical piracy” by Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro.
The United States on Saturday seized an oil tanker in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on X. The seized ship has been...
The United States seized a new oil tanker off Venezuela, reported several American media on Saturday, while Washington put in place a blockade against ships carrying oil linked to Caracas.
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