US military forces have seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, marking the sixth such operation since early December as Washington continues its maritime blockade targeting oil shipments linked to Venezuela.
In a statement released on January 15, U.S. Southern Command confirmed that US Marines and Navy sailors boarded and apprehended the motor tanker Veronica during a pre-dawn operation. The troops launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford as part of Joint Task Force Southern Spear, operating in support of the Department of Homeland Security.
SOUTHCOM described the Veronica as a sanctioned vessel attempting to breach President Donald Trump’s “established quarantine” on Venezuelan oil shipments. Video footage released by the command appeared to show US personnel descending from helicopters onto the tanker without resistance.
Sixth Tanker Seized Since December
The seizure comes amid an intensified pressure campaign against Venezuela that has continued even after US forces captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on January 3 and transferred him to the United States to face federal drug trafficking charges, which Maduro denies.
US forces first seized the tanker Skipper on December 10, followed by Centuries on December 20. Since Maduro’s capture, additional vessels — Bella 1, Sophia, and Olina — have also been boarded and taken under US control. The Veronica is the latest addition to that list.
The operation took place just hours before Trump hosted Venezuelan opposition figure and Nobel Prize laureate María Corina Machado at the White House, underscoring the political symbolism surrounding the enforcement action.
Transitional Oil Policy and International Pushback
Despite the ongoing blockade, the Trump administration has indicated openness to working with Maduro’s deputy and political ally Delcy Rodríguez during a transitional phase. Under that plan, Venezuelan oil transfers would be permitted only if coordinated directly with the US government.
“The only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully,” SOUTHCOM said.
The latest seizure was supported by the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, along with the amphibious transport docks USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale. The operation was conducted in coordination with the US Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice.
Flag Disputes and Russian
Public ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic indicate that the Veronica was registered under the Guyanese flag at the time of the seizure. However, the vessel’s operators reportedly claimed Russian registration and renamed the ship Galileo shortly before US forces boarded it.
A similar tactic was used by the operators of the Bella 1, which reflagged under a Russian registry and renamed itself Marinera while evading capture for nearly three weeks.
Russia has criticized previous US tanker seizures. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that vessels lawfully registered under another country’s flag should not be subject to force, arguing that such actions violate international maritime norms.
Escalating Maritime Enforcement
The continued tanker seizures highlight a sharp escalation in US maritime enforcement in the Caribbean, with significant implications for global energy flows, international law, and geopolitical tensions involving Venezuela and its allies. As Washington tightens control over oil exports tied to Caracas, further confrontations at sea may be difficult to avoid.
