United States Seizes Venezuelan Oil Tanker

The United States is intensifying its pressure campaign against Venezuela by preparing to intercept more ships transporting Venezuelan oil, following the recent seizure of a tanker named Skipper. This action, the first interdiction of a Venezuelan oil cargo or tanker since 2019, is part of a broader strategy to destabilize the government of Nicolás Maduro and disrupt the flow of sanctioned oil. The United States — United States Department of the Treasury also imposed sanctions on six supertankers and four Venezuelans, including relatives of Cilia Flores. The United States Justice Department and United States — United States Department of Homeland Security have been planning these seizures for months. The move has put shipowners and maritime agencies on high alert, with some suspending voyages of Venezuelan crude. The United States is also conducting a large-scale military buildup in the southern Caribbean and has carried out numerous strikes against drug vessels. Venezuela's government has condemned the seizure as 'theft' and 'international piracy', while legal experts state it does not meet the definition of piracy under international law. The United States's new tactic targets the 'shadow fleet' of tankers that transport sanctioned oil to countries like China, Iran, and Russia.