US EditionVenezuela accuses US of 'blatant theft' after tanker seized in Caribbean
The U.S. plans additional tanker seizures to enforce sanctions and disrupt Venezuelan oil exports funding Maduro's government, targeting shipments linked to Iran and China, sources said.
- On December 10, 2025, U.S. forces seized and boarded the VLCC Skipper off Venezuela, targeting the tanker for allegedly transporting Venezuelan oil to Iran.
- The Trump administration is preparing to seize additional tankers, targeting a shadow fleet that moves sanctioned oil to China, while the U.S. Treasury Department sanctions update added over a dozen entities Thursday.
- U.S. Justice Department and U.S. Department of Homeland Security planned seizures for months while U.S. forces increased surveillance of tankers near Venezuela and Guyana, prompting suspension of three voyages carrying almost 6 million barrels of Merey crude.
- Venezuelan government officials denounced the action as theft, but Laurence Atkin-Teillet said, `Because the capture was endorsed and sanctioned by the U.S., it cannot be considered piracy`; reduced oil exports would strain Maduro's finances and make ports reluctant to receive vessels.
- Markets for now are focused on Ukraine peace talks; Venezuela exports about 749,000 barrels per day this year, with Brent crude at $61.11 and U.S. crude at $57.42.
121 Articles
121 Articles
The seizure of a Venezuelan tanker by the United States is a step further from Washington to try to rid President Nicolas Maduro of power.
There are more questions than answers following the US interception of an oil tanker and its cargo of Venezuelan oil last night. The Skipper, as the tanker is known, was seized by US troops and FBI agents off the Venezuelan coast. The ship and its crew's current whereabouts are unclear. According to the White House, the tanker is heading to a US port and the oil is intended to be seized. The action marks a dramatic escalation following the massi…
More ships in Venezuela at risk of seizure
Dozens of tankers are transporting American-sanctioned oil off the coast of Venezuela, raising the possibility of further seizures after the U.S. captured an oil tanker in the Caribbean on Wednesday. More than 80 vessels loaded or waiting to load oil were in Venezuelan waters or near its coast as of Wednesday, including more than 30…
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