In a dramatic escalation of maritime enforcement operations, United States military forces have intercepted and seized a massive sanctioned oil tanker off the Venezuelan coastline. The operation, confirmed by President Donald Trump on Wednesday, represents the first known seizure of a Venezuelan oil cargo under sanctions that have been in place since 2019.
President Trump announced the seizure with characteristic bravado, stating: ‘We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large, largest one ever, actually.’ When questioned about the disposition of the confiscated crude, the president responded with a blunt: ‘We keep it, I guess.’
The Venezuelan government immediately condemned the action as ‘blatant theft’ and ‘an act of international piracy’ in an official statement. President Nicolás Maduro addressed supporters in Caracas, demanding: ‘an end to the illegal and brutal interventionism of the United States government in Venezuela and in Latin America.’ Maduro characterized the seizure as part of broader destabilization efforts aimed at regime change and control of Venezuela’s substantial oil reserves, the largest in the world.
The operational details emerged through social media posts by US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who revealed that the FBI, Homeland Security, and Coast Guard executed a seizure warrant with military support. Accompanying video footage depicted helicopters approaching the vessel and armed personnel in camouflage rappelling onto the deck.
While US officials withheld specific identification of the vessel, maritime risk analysts from British firm Vanguard identified the ship as the very large crude carrier Skipper, previously known as Adisa. The tanker had been under US sanctions for alleged involvement in Iranian oil trading.
The geopolitical repercussions were immediate. Iran’s embassy in Caracas denounced the seizure as a ‘grave violation of international laws and norms.’ Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin expressed serious concerns about escalating tensions in the Caribbean region amid ongoing US military deployments.
Financial markets responded to the news with increased volatility. Brent crude futures climbed 0.4% to settle at $62.21 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude gained similarly to close at $58.46.
The incident occurs within the context of increased US naval operations in the region, with the administration conducting over 20 strikes against suspected drug vessels since early September, resulting in more than 80 fatalities. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates significant domestic opposition to these military actions, including among approximately one-fifth of Republican voters.