U.S. Seizes Massive Oil Tanker Near Venezuela — A Major Escalation in Tensions

In a dramatic move that has intensified geopolitical tensions, U.S. forces have seized a large oil tanker operating off the coast of Venezuela. The operation, confirmed by President Donald Trump, marks one of the most significant actions in Washington’s ongoing pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the country’s oil-dependent economy.

A High-Profile Seizure

According to Attorney General Pam Bondi, the U.S. Coast Guard, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations jointly executed a seizure warrant on the crude oil tanker, which has been involved in transporting Venezuelan and Iranian oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.

Bondi shared footage online showing U.S. forces descending from helicopters and boarding the ship, highlighting the scale and precision of the operation. President Trump described the seized vessel as “very large” — possibly the largest ever taken by U.S. authorities.

What We Know About the Tanker

U.S. officials identified the tanker as Skipper, formerly known as Adisa, a Panamanian-flagged vessel sanctioned in 2022. It is linked to Triton Navigation, a Marshall Islands–based company sanctioned earlier for operating a network of ships used to export Iranian oil to support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah.

Satellite data and independent tracking reports suggest the tanker has been moving inaccurately by “spoofing” its transponder location. While it appeared to be near Guyana, imagery shows it was actually loading oil at Venezuela’s José Terminal and later conducting offshore transfers near Curaçao.

What Was the Cargo?

A source familiar with the matter says the tanker was likely carrying Venezuelan oil destined for Cuba, although this has not been officially confirmed.

Venezuela Condemns the U.S. Move

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil sharply criticized the seizure, calling it “an act of international piracy” and accusing Washington of wanting to seize the country’s natural resources.

He argued that the U.S. action exposes the “real reasons” behind years of pressure on Venezuela — not migration, democracy, or drugs, but oil.

Part of a Larger U.S. Strategy

This operation fits into a broader pattern of U.S. military actions in the Caribbean region. Since September, American forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking. At least 87 people have died in these maritime strikes.

The U.S. Navy currently has 11 warships and numerous aircraft stationed across the Caribbean and Pacific in what it describes as an anti-drug operation — though analysts believe it is also aimed at squeezing Maduro’s regime.

President Trump has openly stated that Maduro’s “days are numbered,” warning that military intervention remains an option.

Impact on Venezuela and Global Oil Flows

Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves but has struggled for years due to mismanagement, crumbling infrastructure, and sanctions. While production has slightly recovered to about 900,000 barrels per day, it remains far below the 2.4 million barrels produced in 2008.

Cuba, which faces its own energy crisis, relies heavily on Venezuelan oil. Any disruption could deepen the island nation’s ongoing blackouts and fuel shortages.

Energy experts note that if the U.S. continues seizing ships—especially those supplying China—it could severely disrupt Venezuela’s shadow oil trade. However, they also point out that Maduro has survived even worse economic conditions, particularly during the pandemic.

Historical Context

This is not the first major operation of its kind. In 2020, the U.S. seized over 1.1 million barrels of Iranian fuel headed to Venezuela — the largest such seizure at the time.

A Political Backdrop

The seizure also came on the same day that Venezuelan opposition leader and newly awarded Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado was unable to travel to Oslo to receive her award due to government restrictions. Her daughter accepted the prize on her behalf, while Machado arrived a day later.