The United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in a high-risk operation involving the US Coast Guard and Navy, marking a major escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
President Donald Trump confirmed the seizure on Wednesday as tensions between Washington and Caracas continue to rise over US allegations of narcotics trafficking, sanctions evasion and support for foreign militant groups.
What did Donald Trump say about the seizure of the Venezuelan oil tanker?
President Trump publicly acknowledged the operation but offered limited details when asked by reporters. He confirmed the scale of the operation to seize the Venezuelan oil tanker, saying US forces had seized a “large tanker”.
Asked what would happen to the oil on board the vessel, Trump said: “Well, we’ll probably keep it.”
Read also | Trump announced the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela
The seizure marks the Trump administration’s most aggressive naval action yet against Venezuela since intensifying its regional military posture.
Which Venezuelan oil tanker was seized? where did it come from?
According to US officials, the seized Venezuelan oil tanker has been identified as the Skipper, which departed Venezuela around December 2 with approximately 2 million barrels of heavy crude.
Read also | Trump confirms call with Maduro and reveals why he warned Venezuelan airspace
About half of the cargo reportedly belonged to Cuba’s state oil importer, according to internal documents from Venezuela’s state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA). These documents were shared anonymously as the official was not authorized to release them.
The tanker was formerly known as the M/T Adisa, ship tracking data shows.
Why was a Venezuelan oil tanker targeted by US authorities?
While the Skipper was carrying Venezuelan oil, U.S. officials told the New York Times that the seizure was linked primarily to the vessel’s previous involvement in smuggling illegal Iranian oil, rather than direct ties to the Maduro government.
According to the report, the Venezuelan oil tanker was “sailing under the flag of a South American country where it was not actually registered.” A federal judge is said to have approved the seizure order.
Read also | Machad’s daughter accepts Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of mother – Watch
Adisa was sanctioned by the US in 2022 over allegations that it was part of a network of shadowy tankers involved in transporting oil for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The US Treasury Department said at the time that the network was run by a Ukrainian oil trader based in Switzerland.
How was the seizure of the Venezuelan oil tanker?
The operation was led by the US Coast Guard with support from the Navy. Coast Guard personnel were flown to the tanker by helicopter from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, a US official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Read also | Who is the adm. Bradley? Navy official denies ‘kill them all’ order in strike probe
The Associated Press reported that Ford arrived in the region last month as part of a broader show of force in the Caribbean. The day before the seizure, US fighter jets reportedly flew over the Gulf of Venezuela in what appeared to be the closest approach to Venezuelan airspace since the pressure campaign began.
What footage of the operation was released?
US Attorney General Pam Bondi released redacted, unclassified footage showing the moment US forces boarded the tanker. The 45-second video, which contains no sound, shows personnel quickly descending from helicopters hovering near the ship’s deck.
In a statement accompanying the footage, Bondi said the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the US Coast Guard, with support from the Department of Defense, “executed a warrant to seize an oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.”
It added that the tanker had been sanctioned for “several years” due to its “involvement in a network of illegal transportation of oil supporting foreign terrorist organizations.”
Bondi also wrote that “for several years, the oil tanker has been sanctioned by the United States for its involvement in an illegal oil transportation network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.”
How did Venezuela react to the seizure of the oil tanker?
The Venezuelan government strongly condemned the action, calling it illegal under international law.
In an official statement, the authorities said the seizure “constitutes a blatant theft and an act of international piracy”.
Read also | Here in Venezuela, people fear rampant inflation more than Trump
“Under these circumstances, the real reasons for the prolonged aggression against Venezuela have finally been revealed… It has always been about our natural resources, our oil, our energy, resources that belong exclusively to the Venezuelan people,” the statement added.
What role did the USS Gerald R. Ford play?
The USS Gerald R. Ford played a central logistical role in the operation, serving as a launch point for helicopters transporting Coast Guard personnel.
The carrier is operating in the Caribbean as part of a growing naval presence aimed at increasing the administration’s pressure on Maduro. Last month, it joined other warships in what US officials described as a deterrence and enforcement mission.
What did Nicolás Maduro say amid rising tensions?
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro did not directly address the seizure of the tanker during a speech to supporters in Caracas, but struck a defiant tone.
Maduro told a ruling party rally that Venezuela was “ready to break the teeth of the North American empire if necessary.”
Read also | Trump summons high stakes in White House as US ramps up pressure on Venezuela
He also claimed that only his government could ensure regional stability, telling supporters that only the ruling party could “guarantee the peace, stability and harmonious development of Venezuela, South America and the Caribbean”.
“And the only president who has the preparation, the history and the unwavering support of the people and the armed forces… is called Nicolás Maduro,” he said.
