US Intercepts Oil Tanker Near Venezuela; Caracas Calls It ‘Piracy’

The United States has taken control of an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coastline, intensifying the pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s administration. This action represents a significant escalation in the ongoing efforts by Washington to undermine the Venezuelan government.

During a press briefing at the White House on Wednesday, President Donald Trump proclaimed the vessel to be ‘the largest ever captured’. Video footage made available by the US authorities depicted armed personnel boarding the ship, which Attorney General Pam Bondi indicated was involved in transporting oil that had been sanctioned from both Venezuela and Iran.

In response, Caracas quickly condemned the operation, labeling it an act of ‘international piracy’. Maduro previously asserted that Venezuela would not fall into the status of an ‘oil colony’. The Trump administration has accused the Venezuelan government of trafficking narcotics into the US and has intensified its efforts to isolate Maduro politically in recent months.

Venezuela, which boasts some of the largest proven oil reserves globally, has countered these accusations by claiming that the US is attempting to seize its natural resources. Following the tanker seizure, Brent crude prices experienced a slight uptick as concerns about short-term supply emerged. Analysts caution that this action could endanger shipping operations and further disrupt Venezuela’s oil exports.

On Thursday, the Kremlin reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken with Maduro, assuring the Venezuelan leader of Russia’s backing amid escalating external pressures. Bondi, leading the US Department of Justice, revealed that the operation was coordinated with multiple agencies, including the FBI, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the Coast Guard.

‘For several years, this oil tanker has faced sanctions from the United States due to its participation in an illicit oil transportation network that funds foreign terrorist organizations,’ Bondi detailed in a post on X. The released footage depicted a military helicopter hovering above the vessel, with troops descending onto the deck using ropes. Armed personnel were observed moving across the ship.

A senior military official disclosed that the helicopters utilized in the operation originated from the USS Gerald Ford, the largest aircraft carrier globally, which was deployed to the Caribbean last month. The operation included two helicopters, ten Coast Guard members, and ten Marines, alongside special forces involvement.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was reportedly informed about the operation, and sources indicated that the Trump administration is contemplating additional similar actions. When questioned by journalists about the fate of the oil aboard the tanker, Trump responded, ‘We keep it, I guess… I assume we’re going to keep the oil.’

Maritime risk assessment company Vanguard Tech identified the vessel as the Skipper, noting that it had been ‘spoofing’ its location—transmitting a false position—for an extended period. Verifications confirmed that the ship depicted in the footage released by the Department of Homeland Security is indeed the Skipper.

The US Treasury had placed sanctions on the Skipper in 2022, citing its alleged involvement in oil smuggling that provided financial support to Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force. Additionally, this tanker was located on MarineTraffic, showing it sailing under the Guyana flag when its position was last updated two days prior.

However, a statement from Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department on Wednesday evening clarified that the Skipper was ‘falsely flying the Guyana Flag as it is not registered in Guyana.’ The vessel’s port log indicates it visited Iran, Iraq, and the UAE from June 30 to July 9 this year. Its last recorded stop was at Soroosh port in Iran on July 9.

MarineTraffic reports suggest the ship was last near Iran in mid-September before reaching the vicinity of Guyana at the end of October, with minimal subsequent movement. This data may be incomplete or incorrect due to position spoofing.

MarineTraffic lists the beneficial owner and operator as Nigeria-based Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd, with Triton Navigation Corp from the Marshall Islands registered as the owner. The Venezuelan government has issued a statement condemning the tanker seizure as a ‘serious international crime.’

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello characterized the US as ‘murderers, thieves, pirates.’ He drew a comparison to the fictional character Jack Sparrow from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ stating that while Sparrow was a ‘hero’, the US operatives are ‘criminals of the high seas’.

Cabello asserted that this is indicative of how the US has instigated conflicts across the globe. Earlier on Wednesday, Maduro addressed American citizens opposed to war with Venezuela, referencing a famous 1988 song. ‘To American citizens who are against the war, I respond with a very famous song: Don’t worry, be happy,’ Maduro remarked, singing along to the lyrics.

The timing of Maduro’s remarks raises questions about whether he was aware of the tanker seizure prior to his rally. Recently, the US has escalated its military presence in the Caribbean Sea, adjacent to Venezuela, involving thousands of troops and the USS Gerald Ford positioned close to Venezuelan waters.

This military build-up has fueled speculation regarding potential military actions. Since September, the US has carried out at least 22 strikes on vessels in the region accused of drug smuggling, resulting in at least 80 fatalities from these operations.