The BareStory
The United States seized two Panama-flagged tankers over the weekend as part of a campaign to block sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments. The tanker *Centuries* was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard on December 20 east of Barbados while carrying approximately two million barrels of Venezuelan crude. A second vessel, the *Bella 1*, was also seized while empty and en route to Venezuela. According to data from Kpler, the *Centuries* had loaded its cargo at the Jose Oil Terminal on December 9 after falsifying its location signals.
China, which Kpler data shows purchases around 76% of Venezuela’s oil, condemned the seizure of the *Centries*. An analyst at Kpler suggested the U.S. may have acted under a 2002 maritime agreement with Panama. Brandon Daniels of the firm Exiger stated the action points to Panamanian cooperation and that the U.S. views the shipment as sanctions evasion, countering China’s claim of an international law violation. The White House, U.S. Coast Guard, and Department of Transportation did not respond to requests for comment.
These seizures are part of wider U.S. actions targeting the Venezuelan government and its allies. This fall, the Trump administration began striking drug-smuggling boats after the State Department designated cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations." The actions coincide with claims by U.S. officials and analysts regarding illicit financing operations in the country. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called Venezuela a hub for Iran in the Western Hemisphere, while former Attorney General Bill Barr described it as a base for drug trafficking by Hezbollah.
Sources familiar with Hezbollah's operations claim its members are increasingly turning to drug trafficking in Venezuela for revenue, reportedly due to a reduction in funding from Iran. According to former Treasury Department official Marshall Billingslea, over 400 of the group’s field commanders were instructed to relocate to the South American nation. The Venezuelan and Iranian governments have recently affirmed their ties. In a reported December 9 phone call, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian offered unconditional support to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Last week, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei also condemned a U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker.
How it may affect me
As a U.S. reader:
• These seizures are part of a broader security strategy targeting drug trafficking and designated terrorist groups reportedly operating from Venezuela, which could impact U.S. safety.
• The seizure of sanctioned Venezuelan oil is unlikely to directly affect U.S. fuel prices, as the article indicates China is the primary buyer of this crude.
• The action may escalate diplomatic tensions with China and Iran, which could influence future U.S. foreign policy, though specific public impacts are not detailed.
