The United States seized a Venezuelan oil tanker off the country’s coast on Wednesday, intensifying pressure on President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The operation, which involved U.S. military and federal law enforcement personnel, took place in international waters and concluded without casualties, officials said.
President Donald Trump announced the seizure, describing the tanker as “very large” and the biggest ever confiscated by U.S. authorities. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the vessel, identified as the Skipper, had been sanctioned by the U.S. for its role in an illicit oil network supporting groups in Venezuela and Iran. Bondi shared video footage showing personnel rappelling onto the tanker and securing the deck. The operation involved the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Coast Guard, with support from the Department of Defense.
Details of the Operation and Cargo
The tanker, which was bound for Cuba and ultimately intended for Asia, was carrying Venezuelan crude oil. U.S. officials stated that the seizure was part of an ongoing campaign to apply economic and diplomatic pressure on Maduro. The Skipper, formerly known as the Adisa, had been previously sanctioned for facilitating oil trade with Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force.
Trump did not elaborate on the legal or logistical steps following the seizure but indicated that the U.S. would retain control of the oil. A senior U.S. official noted that additional seizures could occur in the coming weeks as part of a broader strategy to target Venezuela’s energy sector.
Satellite imagery reviewed by analysts showed that the Skipper attempted to conceal its true location while docked at a Venezuelan oil terminal in November. Though its transponder suggested it was off the coast of Guyana, the vessel was actually near the city of Barcelona, Venezuela. Experts said the ship may have used this method to obscure its operations, a practice sometimes employed to hide potentially illicit activity.
International and Regional Reactions
The Venezuelan government condemned the seizure, labeling it an act of “international piracy” and asserting that the U.S. was targeting the country’s natural resources rather than issues such as migration or democracy. Caracas has stated its intention to appeal the incident through international bodies.
Cuba, the tanker’s immediate destination, also criticized the move. The island nation is heavily reliant on oil imports to maintain its energy infrastructure and is currently facing widespread power outages. Cuba’s foreign minister described the seizure as an “aggressive escalation” and highlighted the challenges the country faces in securing oil from allied nations.
The operation comes amid heightened U.S. activity in the Caribbean, which includes deploying troops, carrier strike groups, and conducting strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels. The Trump administration has repeatedly suggested that further action in Venezuela could extend to land-based operations if Maduro remains in power.
This latest incident reflects the ongoing geopolitical tension in the region, with U.S. authorities targeting Venezuela’s energy sector while emphasizing enforcement against networks linked to sanctioned foreign entities. Maduro has not publicly addressed the seizure, though the incident has drawn attention from international media and global policymakers.
The Skipper had previously visited ports in Egypt, the UAE, Hong Kong, and loitered near Iran, highlighting the vessel’s extensive and complex trade routes. The U.S. continues to monitor tanker movements closely as part of its strategic efforts to pressure Venezuela’s government and curtail illicit oil networks.
