The U.S. Coast Guard was actively pursuing a sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea on Sunday as part of the Trump administration’s escalated efforts against vessels linked to the Venezuelan government. The pursuit of this tanker was confirmed by a U.S. official familiar with the operation, following the recent announcement of the seizure of another tanker by the administration.
The U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to disclose details publicly, stated that the pursuit on Sunday involved a “sanctioned dark fleet vessel associated with Venezuela’s illicit sanctions evasion.” The vessel in question was reported to be flying a false flag and was under a judicial seizure order.
This latest pursuit by the coast guard was initially reported by Reuters. The recent seizure of a Panama-flagged vessel named Centuries, described by the White House as a “falsely flagged vessel operating as part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet to traffic stolen oil,” further underscores the administration’s crackdown on such activities.
In a separate incident on December 10, the coast guard, with support from the U.S. navy, seized another sanctioned tanker known as Skipper. This tanker, identified as part of the shadow fleet that engages in moving sanctioned cargo, was not displaying any national flag when intercepted.
Following the initial seizure, President Trump announced a “blockade” of Venezuela, amidst escalating tensions between the U.S. and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Trump’s recent actions are linked to demands for Venezuela to return assets seized from U.S. oil companies and to restrict oil tanker movements related to the country facing U.S. sanctions.
The targeting of tankers and heightened military presence align with Trump’s directive to the U.S. Defence Department to conduct operations against vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean suspected of smuggling illegal drugs. These actions have resulted in casualties and drawn criticism from lawmakers and activists over concerns of extrajudicial killings.
Amidst these developments, Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine criticized Trump’s military approach towards Maduro, emphasizing the need for congressional authorization for such actions. Democrats have urged the administration to utilize sanctions and diplomatic measures rather than military force in addressing the situation in Venezuela.