Washington: The United States has confirmed the interception and seizure of a second Venezuelan oil tanker, marking a significant escalation in its efforts to enforce sanctions against Venezuela. This development comes shortly after President Donald Trump ordered a blockade on all sanctioned oil tankers from entering or leaving the country.
According to Thai News Agency, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Christy Nome announced that the U.S. Coast Guard had intercepted the tanker in international waters off the Venezuelan coast. The vessel, which had departed from a Venezuelan port, was seized as part of a broader initiative to curb the smuggling of sanctioned oil, which is believed to help fund drug cartels and terrorist activities in the region.
A statement from a White House spokesman on X revealed that the tanker was part of Venezuela's "shadow fleet," operating under a false flag. This fleet reportedly trades in stolen oil to support the Nicol¡s Maduro government, which is accused of involvement in drug trafficking and terrorism.
The Venezuelan government has strongly criticized the US actions, labeling them as piracy on the high seas. Venezuela plans to report the incident to the United Nations Security Council and other international entities, denouncing the seizure of the tanker and the disappearance of its crew as violations of international law.
Jeremy Paner of Hughes Hubbard law firm noted that the targeted ship was not under U.S. sanctions, suggesting that this action heightens tensions with the Venezuelan government. This move appears to contradict the U.S. directive from December 16th, which focused on blocking sanctioned oil tankers. While many Venezuelan oil transporters face U.S. sanctions, vessels from Iran and Russia, as well as those of companies like Chevron, are exempt and can still operate in Venezuelan waters.
This seizure follows the U.S. capture of its first Venezuelan oil tanker on December 10. The operation, involving helicopters from the USS Gerald Ford and U.S. special forces, targeted the Skipper, a vessel sanctioned in 2022 for connections to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanese Hezbollah.
Market analysts indicate that while the immediate oil supply remains stable, especially in China, prolonged U.S. sanctions might disrupt global oil supplies, possibly leading to a shortfall of nearly 1 million barrels per day. This could drive a rise in global oil prices, given the reliance on "shadow fleets" to transport Venezuelan crude oil amid ongoing sanctions.