The BareStory
The United States has seized a second oil tanker in international waters off the coast of Venezuela this month and is currently pursuing a third vessel. The U.S. Coast Guard, with support from the Department of Defense, conducted a pre-dawn boarding of a tanker on Saturday, December 20, that had last docked in Venezuela. This follows the seizure of a different sanctioned tanker earlier in December.
U.S. officials have stated the actions are part of a campaign against illicit oil shipments. The actions follow a call last week from President Trump for a "total and complete blockade" on all sanctioned oil tankers traveling to or from Venezuela. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the U.S. would continue to pursue the movement of sanctioned oil, which she claimed funds "narco-terrorism." A U.S. official described the vessel currently being pursued as a "sanctioned dark fleet vessel" under a judicial seizure order.
The Venezuelan government called the Saturday seizure an act of "piracy," "theft and kidnapping," confirming the vessel was a private ship transporting Venezuelan oil. Caracas stated "these acts will not go unpunished" and that it intends to bring a complaint before the United Nations Security Council. President Nicolas Maduro has accused the U.S. of attempting regime change and asserted that Venezuela would not become a colony.
There are conflicting reports on the status of the tanker seized Saturday. While a White House official called it a "falsely flagged vessel" funding the "narcoterrorist Maduro regime," one data firm reported the ship is not on any U.S., EU, U.K., or U.N. sanctions list. These events occur amid a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean. Separate Pentagon operations in the region against alleged drug boats have reportedly resulted in at least 104 deaths since September; the Pentagon has not publicly provided evidence the boats carried drugs or identified the deceased, according to the source information.
How it may affect me
As a U.S. reader:
• These actions against oil tankers could disrupt global oil supplies, potentially leading to fluctuations in fuel prices for consumers.
• Increased U.S. military activity and Venezuelan threats of retaliation raise the risk of international conflict, which could impact U.S. policy and regional stability.
• Venezuela's plan to challenge the seizures at the United Nations could create diplomatic friction, possibly affecting future U.S. foreign relations and international agreements.
• The stated U.S. effort to stop funding for "narco-terrorism" could impact national security, though any direct public effect is unclear from the reports.
