US Seizes Second Oil Tanker Off Venezuela’s Coast in Major Escalation

In a significant escalation of its pressure campaign against Venezuela, United States forces have seized a second oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, marking a dramatic intensification of tensions between Washington and Caracas.

According to U.S. officials, the operation took place in international waters early Saturday morning, December 20, 2025, when the U.S. Coast Guard, supported by military assets, intercepted and boarded a tanker identified as the Panama-flagged Centuries, which had been last docked in Venezuela and was loaded with Venezuelan crude.

The interception occurred amid a broader U.S. naval buildup in the Caribbean tied to an expanded blockade on oil shipments linked to Venezuela’s state-owned oil industry.

The U.S. government, led by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, stated on social media that the action was part of efforts to halt the illicit movement of oil that allegedly funds narco-terrorism and other unlawful activities.

The United States government asserts that this measure targets vessels involved in transporting Venezuelan oil in violation of existing sanctions and international financial controls.

This second seizure follows an earlier operation on December 10, 2025, in which U.S. forces interdicted another oil tanker, part of a campaign that has significantly reduced Venezuelan crude exports and disrupted its oil sector, a cornerstone of the country’s economy.

The Trump administration also announced a “total and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, signalling a widening scope of enforcement that now seeks to deter any vessel engaged in trade connected to the Venezuelan oil market.

The Venezuelan government has strongly condemned the operation, denouncing it as an act of “theft,” “criminal piracy,” and an illegal violation of international law. Caracas has indicated it will pursue legal recourse through the United Nations Security Council and other international forums, and has vowed that such “acts will not go unpunished.”

The tensions highlight the deteriorating relationship between the United States and Venezuela under President Nicolás Maduro, and come amid broader geopolitical friction over sanctions, oil revenues, and regional stability. Analysts warn that continued enforcement actions and retaliatory rhetoric could further strain global oil markets and spark diplomatic clashes among major powers with interests in Latin America’s energy supplies.

Sources: Reuters, Associated Press, Fox News, France 24, NBC News, The Times