U.S. seizes second oil tanker off Venezuela coast as blockade claim intensifies

WASHINGTON — The United States seized a second oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast on Wednesday, the latest maritime interdiction in a months-long effort to curb what Washington says is sanctioned oil traffic linked to Nicolás Maduro’s government.

The vessel, a Panamanian-flagged tanker named Centuries, had recently departed Venezuela and was boarded in international waters by a U.S. Coast Guard-led tactical team. The operation mirrors an earlier seizure conducted in the same region this month. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem published a seven-minute video on X showing U.S. helicopters landing on the ship’s deck, with the vessel visible in the frame. While the Centuries has sailed under Greece and Liberia flags in the past five years, it is not listed on the Treasury Department’s sanctions list; after the seizure, White House officials clarified that the cargo was sanctioned PDVSA oil.

Administratively, the White House press operation said the tanker was operating as part of the Venezuelan shadow fleet to traffic stolen oil to fund the Maduro regime and to support “drug terrorism” and related illicit activity. Anna Kelly, deputy White House press secretary, described the seized cargo as sanctioned oil from Venezuela’s state-run oil company and said the seizure is part of ongoing efforts to interdict illicit shipments.

Caracas blasted the move as theft and kidnapping, accusing the United States of attempting to steal Venezuela’s resources. The government said it would file complaints with the U.N. Security Council and other multilateral bodies, and it asserted that the action would not go unpunished. The Maduro administration has long denounced U.S. sanctions and maritime actions as hostile interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs.

The seizure comes amid heightened U.S. activity in the Caribbean, where Washington has expanded military presence and conducted strikes against vessels it says are involved in drug trafficking or related networks. In recent weeks, U.S. forces have destroyed several boats it attributed to smuggling operations off Venezuela; officials have provided limited public evidence of drug cargo on those boats, drawing scrutiny from Congress over the strikes.

The operation follows a sharp escalation in rhetoric from Washington after President Donald Trump announced a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers moving to or from Venezuela. The White House said the blockade would disrupt Maduro’s ability to move petroleum through or around sanctions regimes, a strategy framed by U.S. officials as a means to pressure Venezuela to return to negotiations or reforms.

Trump has repeatedly tied Maduro to the so-called Cartel de los Soles, which Washington describes as a terrorist organization. Maduro denies the charge and has said the U.S. is attempting to undermine Venezuela’s sovereignty by seizing its assets. In remarks accompanying the latest seizure, Trump and other U.S. officials asserted that Maduro’s government uses oil revenues to fund violence and oppression, a claim Caracas rejects as political framing.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a post on X following the seizure stating that the United States would “unflinchingly conduct maritime interdiction operations” to dismantle illicit criminal networks. He added that violence, drugs, and chaos would not control the Western Hemisphere, a message that reflected ongoing U.S. messaging about security in the region.

Venezuela, home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves, relies heavily on oil revenue to fund public spending and social programs. Analysts note that international pressure, sanctions, and the loss of access to Western markets have strained the country’s economy for years. The government has argued that sanctions deprive the population of essential goods and undermine the country’s sovereignty, while opponents contend that Maduro’s regime uses oil revenues to sustain the state and suppress dissent.

The United States has, in recent weeks, also pursued operations against vessels it says are part of the broader illicit-drug supply chain linked to Venezuela. Caracas has repeatedly dismissed such claims as unfounded or exaggerated, calling for multilateral dialogue and a transparent process to verify whether ships are involved in trafficking.

Wednesday’s seizure marks the second time this month that an oil-carrying vessel has been intercepted off Venezuela’s coast. The first incident, described by U.S. officials as part of a broader campaign against the Maduro regime’s oil activities, prompted similar condemnations from Caracas and renewed assurances from Washington that it will continue to enforce sanctions and interdiction efforts.

As the international response to these actions evolves, observers note the tension between U.S. enforcement measures and Venezuela’s push for greater sovereignty and oil-related leverage. Caracas has signaled its intention to pursue diplomatic channels, while Washington has pledged continued maritime interdiction as part of broader sanctions policy. The coming weeks could see further actions of this kind, with both sides signaling steadfast positions amid ongoing disputes over oil, sanctions, and regional security.