U.S. Coast Guard Pursues Third Tanker Near Venezuela Amid Sanctions Crackdown
Officials say a third tanker linked to black-market oil is being pursued as Washington intensifies pressure on Maduro; White House has not commented.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing a third oil tanker in international waters off Venezuela, officials told Reuters on Sunday, in what would be the second such operation this weekend and the third in less than a week. One official said the tanker was under sanctions. The location was not disclosed, and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The operation follows a string of actions tied to President Trump’s intensified pressure campaign against Nicolas Maduro, including a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela announced last week. The Coast Guard previously intercepted two other vessels in similar circumstances, and a tanker named the Centuries was seized by the Coast Guard on Dec. 20, 2025, according to officials.
The Coast Guard's actions are aimed at cutting off illicit shipments of oil that authorities say support Maduro's government. Officials said the ships involved were known to be under sanctions or connected to sanctioned networks, and the seizures are part of a broader effort to enforce penalties that Washington has imposed on Venezuela.
Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, said the first two tankers seized were operating on the black market and providing oil to sanctioned countries. "And so I don’t think that people need to be worried here in the US that the prices are going to go up because of these seizures of these ships," Hassett said.
Market analysts cautioned that the seizures could add geopolitical risk and possibly push crude prices higher when Asian trading resumes on Monday, though some noted that an eventual end to the war in Ukraine could help cap gains.
The broader campaign has included a substantial military presence in the Caribbean and Pacific approaches to Venezuela, with officials citing more than two dozen maritime actions on vessels linked to Maduro's regime in recent days. Some security experts have warned of destabilizing spillovers and the potential for retaliatory actions at sea. The situation remains fluid, and official statements from the White House and the Coast Guard have been limited, with no immediate comment available on Sunday.
The Centuries' seizure on Dec. 20, 2025, underscored the ongoing pressure campaign and the focus on blocking oil that traffickers allegedly supply to sanctioned destinations. Analysts say the seizures could affect global supply dynamics in the near term, especially if more black-market shipments are disrupted before Asian markets reopen. Officials emphasized that the aim is to deter illicit oil flows rather than disrupt legitimate energy supplies.
As the United States maintains its stance on Venezuela, the penalties and enforcement actions are likely to continue drawing scrutiny from energy traders and regional governments with interests in the country’s oil wealth. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday, and officials cautioned that details of the ongoing intercepts would be released only as operational security allows.