The U.S. has seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, marking one of the most aggressive steps yet in Washington’s campaign to pressure President Nicolás Maduro, whom the U.S. is seeking to push from office. President Donald Trump confirmed the operation but offered few details, saying only that the vessel was sanctioned and taken «for a very good reason,» the Associated Press reported.
The seizure is part of a broader U.S. effort to weaken Maduro’s grip on power and disrupt Venezuela’s oil exports, a crucial source of revenue for the country, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and is a founding member of OPEC.
The vessel, named Skipper, was carrying approximately 2 million barrels of heavy crude. The U.S. Coast Guard seized it with Navy support. Footage of the operation shows Coast Guard members fast-roping onto the tanker and moving through the ship with weapons drawn.
Venezuela condemned the action as «international piracy,» accusing the White House of using military operations as a pretext to seize the country’s resources. Maduro, without directly referencing the tanker, told supporters that Venezuela is prepared to confront U.S. aggression. The government had already announced a large-scale mobilization in mid-November.
The tanker seizure follows a series of U.S. military operations in the region, including deadly strikes on allegedly drug-smuggling boats that have killed at least 87 people so far. After a second strike killed two survivors who were clinging to wreckage, some members of Congress raised concerns about the legality of these operations and potential violations of international law.
