US blocks Venezuelan tanker in international waters
Shafaq News – Washington
The United States intercepted a Venezuelan oil tanker in international waters, marking the third vessel seized amid rising tensions with Caracas, Reuters said on Sunday.
Citing two US officials, the agency reported that the US Navy carried out the operation, without providing details on the ship involved or the exact location of the interception
In a post on X, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly later indicated that the tanker was transporting oil “returning to the Venezuelan state oil company,” adding that the ship operated under “a false flag and is part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet that traffics stolen oil to finance the [Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro regime and smuggle drugs.”
The tanker contained sanctioned PDVSA oil. It was a falsely flagged vessel operating as part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet to traffic stolen oil and fund the narcoterrorist Maduro regime. https://t.co/U1o7EYex6m
— Anna Kelly (@AnnaKelly47) December 21, 2025
Tanker-tracking website TankerTrackers, meanwhile, reported that the vessel, flying the Panamanian flag, carried 1.8 million barrels of crude oil from a Venezuelan port destined for a Chinese company. It also noted that the tanker is not listed among individuals or entities under US Treasury Department sanctions.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump ordered a “total blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, intensifying pressure on Maduro by targeting his government’s main source of income.
The Venezuelan government responded swiftly, charging that Trump’s actions violated international law, free trade rules, and the principle of free navigation. Caracas further indicated plans to bring the matter to the United Nations, describing the blockade as “a reckless and grave threat” to national sovereignty.
The escalation follows an incident earlier this month in which US forces seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast. Tensions between Washington and Caracas have continued to mount as the Trump administration expands its pressure campaign aimed at removing Maduro from power. In recent months, the US has deployed thousands of troops and a carrier strike group to the Caribbean while targeting vessels identified as drug-trafficking boats.
US media, based on military figures, indicated that recent operations in the region led to the destruction of 23 suspected drug boats and the deaths of 87 people.
