Published December 10, 2025
The United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, where President Donald Trump has threatened military action in recent months.
News outlets Reuters and Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that the U.S. Coast Guard led the operation to seize the ship, but details of its name and location remain unclear. Both media outlets cited unnamed U.S. officials as saying Venezuelan authorities had not yet commented.
The Trump administration has stepped up its threats against Venezuela, sending significant troops to the region, carrying out deadly offensive operations targeting suspected drug-trafficking ships in the Caribbean, and threatening to follow up with land operations.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said the United States is seeking to overthrow his government and that his country’s military will resist any military attack from the United States. Oil exports are an important source of income for the South American country, which exported more than 900,000 barrels a day last month.
Even more in the future…
