The United States has imposed a new round of sanctions targeting six additional vessels allegedly transporting Venezuelan oil, just one day after American forces seized a tanker off the South American nation’s coast. The move marks a sharp escalation in Washington’s efforts to clamp down on President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the intercepted vessel — the Skipper — had been engaged in “illicit oil shipping” and would be transported to a US port following legal proceedings. Caracas denounced the seizure as “international piracy”, calling it another act of aggression in what it says is Washington’s long-running campaign to undermine Venezuela’s sovereignty.
Sanctions announced Thursday extend beyond maritime assets. Several relatives of President Maduro, as well as businesses linked to what Washington labels his “illegitimate regime”, were also designated. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measures target Maduro’s “dictatorial and brutal control”, adding that the administration is holding the leader’s “cronies and companies accountable”.
The seizure of the Skipper comes amid heightened US military activity in the region. In recent weeks, American warships — including the USS Gerald Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier — have moved into the Caribbean Sea. The White House released video footage of Wednesday’s raid showing armed soldiers descending from a helicopter onto the tanker’s deck.
Washington accuses Venezuela of funnelling narcotics into the US and using illicit oil shipments to fund groups such as Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force. The Skipper had previously been sanctioned in 2022 for alleged oil smuggling tied to these networks, according to CBS.
Leavitt said the US remained committed to “stopping the flow of illegal drugs” and enforcing far-reaching sanctions. She did not rule out additional ship seizures, saying the administration would not allow “sanctioned vessels [to] sail the seas with black market oil”.
Caracas reacted sharply. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello condemned the operation, calling US forces “murderers, thieves, pirates”, accusing Washington of provoking conflicts globally. President Maduro insisted Venezuela would never become an “oil colony”.
The tensions drew international attention earlier in the day when Russian President Vladimir Putin called Maduro to express support “in the face of growing external pressure”. Leavitt said President Trump was “not concerned at all” about Moscow’s backing of Caracas.
With both military and economic pressure intensifying, the confrontation between Washington and Caracas appears set to deepen, raising fears of broader regional instability.