US forces have taken control of an oil tanker near Venezuela, marking a significant escalation in tensions between the two nations. President Donald Trump confirmed the seizure during a White House meeting, following his recent warning of potential military action within Venezuela as part of the US’s intensified campaign against drug trafficking in Latin America.
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the oil tanker, previously known as the M/T Adisa and now identified as the Skipper, had been under US sanctions for its involvement in an illicit oil shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations. The vessel was part of a network accused of smuggling crude oil for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group.
The Skipper departed Venezuela with around 2 million barrels of heavy crude, with approximately half of the oil linked to a Cuban state-run importer, according to documents from Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. Venezuela’s government condemned the seizure as “international piracy” and accused the US of targeting the country’s natural resources.
President Trump issued threats towards Colombia and its leader, Gustavo Petro, suggesting Colombia’s involvement in drug production. In response, Petro denied the allegations and criticized the US’s actions as a “massacre.” The US’s move to intercept the oil tanker is seen as an escalation in Trump’s confrontation with Venezuela and its president, Nicolás Maduro.
Trump mentioned that the seized oil would be retained, emphasizing the strategic significance of controlling such assets. The Maduro government characterized the US’s actions as an attempt to seize Venezuela’s oil reserves, which account for a substantial portion of global oil supplies.
The interception of the oil tanker by US forces underscores the mounting pressure on Maduro’s administration and the US’s efforts to disrupt revenue streams supporting the Venezuelan government. The operation, led by the US Coast Guard, signifies a shift from previous actions targeting drug-related activities to directly impacting Venezuela’s oil trade.
