Ship tracking data on Monday revealed that five supertankers en route to load crude oil in Venezuela reversed course due to fears of U.S. seizure. According to Reuters, a Russian tanker carrying oil for Venezuela’s state-owned company PDVSA, along with at least four other large tankers, turned back after the U.S. seized a vessel carrying Venezuelan oil last week.
Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing informed sources, that the U.S. is likely planning further seizures of sanctioned oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast. These actions are part of a new phase in Washington’s pressure campaign against Caracas.
According to three individuals familiar with the administration’s plans, the U.S. is expected to intercept and seize more sanctioned crude oil tankers near Venezuela. President Donald Trump announced last Wednesday the capture of a large oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi later stated that authorities suspect the seized vessel was involved in transporting oil from both Venezuela and Iran.
In response, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil accused the U.S. of piracy, calling the incident an “illegal, aggressive, and subversive act,” and declared his intent to appeal to international authorities.
The U.S. justifies its increased military presence in the Caribbean as part of its anti-narcotics operations. In September and October, American forces reportedly destroyed several boats allegedly carrying drugs off Venezuela’s coast.
NBC News reported in late September that the U.S. military was considering operations targeting drug traffickers inside Venezuela. On November 3, Trump stated he believed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s days in power were numbered.
Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela have escalated recently. In August, Trump issued an executive order expanding military deployment under the pretext of combating drug cartels in Latin America. In response, Maduro announced the mobilization of 4.5 million personnel to defend the country against any potential attack.
U.S. military strikes on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific—allegedly involved in drug trafficking and directly targeting individuals on board—have sparked international debate over what some describe as “extrajudicial killings.”