US Seizes Second Vessel Off Venezuelan Coast as Blockade Expands

The United States seized a second vessel off the coast of Venezuela on Saturday, a development that comes days after President Donald Trump declared a total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country. The Coast Guard-led operation, conducted in international waters, was supported by the U.S. Navy. Officials did not disclose the vessel’s identity, its cargo, or the precise location of the interdiction.

This marks the second seizure off Venezuela this month. A tanker tied to Caracas was interdicted on Dec. 10, and Washington subsequently announced a blockade of Venezuela’s sanctioned oil shipments earlier in the week. In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared, “I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” adding that the country was “surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America.” The administration has framed the legal and strategic steps around a campaign to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro amid accusations of illegitimacy and narco-terrorism.

The interdicts have occurred amid a broader political dispute between Caracas and Washington. House lawmakers on Dec. 17 failed to pass legislation that would have constrained the president’s authority to remove U.S. troops from actions involving any designated terrorist organization in the Western Hemisphere, a development that left unanswered concerns about the scope of executive power in these operations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a year-end press conference, characterized the Maduro regime as intolerable and said the United States would continue to disrupt oil trade tied to the Venezuelan government.

Analysts note Maduro has shown little sign of stepping down in response to external pressure. A White House confidant briefed for The Post suggested Maduro will remain in place unless an external shock compels him to depart. The assessment reflects Washington’s belief that economic and political leverage, including the disruption of oil revenues, remains central to the strategy against Caracas.

Officials emphasize that details about the vessel seized Saturday—such as its flag, ownership, cargo, and the exact seizure site—were not released, citing security considerations and ongoing investigations. The operations thus far underscore the administration’s insistence that actions are being conducted in international waters under relevant maritime authority, with support from multiple federal agencies, rather than in Venezuela’s territorial waters.

The broader goal, according to U.S. officials, is to curb oil revenue that sustains Maduro’s government and to signal that sanctioned energy shipments will face interdiction. Venezuelan authorities have not provided a formal response to the latest seizure, and there has been no independent confirmation of the vessel’s destination or whether it originated from Venezuela. The latest action comes amid a flurry of policy declarations from Washington and a persistent struggle over the future of Venezuela’s leadership in a tense regional environment.

As the situation evolves, observers will be watching for any shift in Venezuela’s compliance with international norms and how Caracas responds to the intensified pressure on its oil sector. The U.S. government has stressed that its measures target sanctioned oil shipments and are not a blanket blockade of humanitarian aid or normal commercial activity unrelated to sanctions. The ongoing saga of interdictions and statements from U.S. officials will shape the international response to Venezuela’s political and economic crisis in the weeks ahead.