The U.S. Coast Guard has seized an oil tanker in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, as the Trump administration continues its controversial campaign against the Venezuelan government and sanctioned oil trade. The latest seizure on December 20 marks the second known interdiction of a vessel near Venezuela within a fortnight.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem shared the video of the seizure on X, which shows a U.S helicopter hovering around a large oil tanker at sea with Coast Guard personnel and military support securing the vessel’s deck.
Read More: Trump orders blockade of sanctioned oil tankers in Venezuela
Coast Guard-led operation with the Department of War
U.S. officials told Reuters that the operation was spearheaded by the U.S. Coast Guard in international waters as part of an ongoing effort initiated after President Donald Trump declared a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan ports.
{{/usCountry}}U.S. officials told Reuters that the operation was spearheaded by the U.S. Coast Guard in international waters as part of an ongoing effort initiated after President Donald Trump declared a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan ports.
{{/usCountry}}The officials, who chose to remain anonymous, said that the latest vessel was boarded after a “consented” stop, with Coast Guard teams taking control of the ship.
Secretary Noem confirmed the actions by releasing the video of the capture on X. She wrote, “In a pre-dawn action early this morning on Dec. 20, the US Coast Guard, with the support of the Department of War, apprehended an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela.”
Read more: US forces stop a second merchant vessel off the coast of Venezuela, American officials say
The recent seizure is part of a broader pressure campaign by the United States. The December 10 seizure of venezuelan oil tanker was the first move of escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
That move was followed by additional sanctions on oil-linked vessels and entities, aligning with an increased U.S. naval and Coast Guard presence.
Noem wrote in the post with the video that, “The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region. We will find you, and we will stop you.”