The United States is gearing up to intercept additional ships carrying Venezuelan oil after seizing a tanker this week, intensifying pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, according to six sources familiar with the situation on Thursday.
This seizure marked the first interception of an oil cargo or tanker from Venezuela, a country under U.S. sanctions since 2019. The move coincides with a significant military buildup by the U.S. in the southern Caribbean and President Donald Trump’s push for Maduro’s removal.
The most recent U.S. action has raised concerns among shipowners, operators, and maritime agencies involved in transporting Venezuelan crude. Many are now reconsidering planned voyages from Venezuelan waters in the upcoming days, as per shipping sources.
According to insiders who preferred to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter, more direct U.S. interventions are anticipated in the near future, targeting vessels carrying Venezuelan oil that might have also transported oil from other sanctioned countries like Iran.
Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA did not respond to a request for comment. The Venezuelan government criticized the U.S. seizure as a “theft.”
When asked about potential future ship seizures, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt refrained from disclosing specific plans but emphasized the U.S.’ commitment to enforcing the president’s sanctions policies.
“We’re not going to tolerate sanctioned vessels carrying illicit oil that funds narcoterrorism for rogue and illegitimate regimes globally,” she stated.
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According to a knowledgeable source, the U.S. has identified several more sanctioned tankers for potential seizure.
The U.S. Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security have reportedly been planning these seizures for months, as indicated by two sources.
Impact of Reduced Oil Exports
A decrease or cessation of Venezuelan oil exports, a primary revenue source for the Venezuelan government, would strain Maduro’s administration financially.
The U.S. Treasury announced sanctions on six supertankers and four Venezuelans, including relatives of the country’s first lady, Cilia Flores, based on internal PDVSA documents and ship monitoring data. It remains unclear if the newly sanctioned ships are among those targeted for interception.
Wednesday’s seizure follows over 20 strikes by the U.S. against alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific in recent months, resulting in over 80 casualties. While experts question the legality of these strikes as extrajudicial, the U.S. justifies them as
