The United States is gearing up to intercept more ships carrying Venezuelan oil after seizing a tanker earlier this week, intensifying pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, according to six sources familiar with the matter. This marks the first time a Venezuelan oil cargo or tanker has been intercepted since the country came under U.S. sanctions in 2019.
The recent seizure has put ship owners, operators, and maritime agencies involved in transporting Venezuelan crude on high alert, prompting many to reconsider planned voyages in the near future. Sources suggest that additional direct interventions by the U.S. are anticipated in the following weeks, targeting vessels carrying Venezuelan oil that may also have transported oil from other sanctioned countries like Iran.
Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA did not respond to requests for comment regarding the incident. The Venezuelan government denounced the U.S. seizure as a “theft.”
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt declined to comment on future actions regarding ship seizures but emphasized that the U.S. would continue enforcing the president’s sanctions policies. The U.S. has identified several more sanctioned tankers as potential targets for seizure, as planned by the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security over the past months.
A decrease or cessation of Venezuelan oil exports, which constitute the main revenue source for the country, would significantly impact the Maduro government’s financial stability. The U.S. Treasury announced sanctions on six supertankers and four Venezuelans, including relatives of the first lady, for their involvement in loading crude oil in Venezuela.
The U.S. has conducted over 20 strikes against alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific in recent months, resulting in casualties. While some experts criticize these actions as potentially illegal, the U.S. maintains that it is combating drug cartels designated as terrorist organizations to protect American interests.
The new U.S. strategy focuses on monitoring the shadow fleet of tankers that transport sanctioned oil, particularly to China. The recent seizure of the tanker Skipper led to the suspension of three loaded shipments bound for Asia. U.S. forces are closely monitoring tankers at sea and in Venezuelan ports before taking action.
The seized vessel is expected to sail to a U.S. port for the government to confiscate its cargo legally. The timing of future seizures will depend on logistical arrangements for receiving and unloading seized ships. Many vessels in the shadow fleet lack transparency in ownership and insurance coverage, making it challenging for ports to accept them.
Despite Venezuela’s criticism of the U.S. seizure as “international piracy,” legal experts argue that it does not meet the definition of piracy under international law, as it was sanctioned by the U.S. and not an independent criminal act. The term “piracy” in this context is considered rhetorical rather than a legal classification.
