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Friday, Jan 09, 2026
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U.S. Seizes Two Oil Tankers as Blockade on Venezuelan Crude Exports Tightens
Washington intensifies enforcement of sanctions on Venezuela’s oil trade with the interception of two vessels in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean
United States forces have seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela in a significant escalation of efforts to enforce sanctions and block crude shipments deemed illicit or in violation of Washington’s embargo.
On January seventh, U.S. military and Coast Guard units intercepted the vessel Marinera — formerly known as Bella 1 — in the North Atlantic after a prolonged pursuit that began in late December, and separately took control of the tanker M Sophia in the Caribbean Sea as part of what U.S. officials describe as an operation to disrupt sanctioned oil exports.
The two tankers are among a growing number of vessels targeted under the Trump administration’s campaign against what it calls a “shadow fleet” of sanctioned ships transporting Venezuelan, Russian and Iranian oil through opaque networks.
U.S. European Command and Homeland Security officials said the actions were carried out pursuant to U.S. sanctions law and reflect a broader blockade imposed around Venezuela to prevent sanctioned oil from reaching international markets.
The Bella 1 had previously attempted to evade interception by refusing boarding and altering its course, flag and name, leading to weeks of tracking by U.S. forces before its seizure.
M Sophia, identified in sanctions lists by both the United States and United Kingdom, was stopped in international waters as it was believed to have been engaged in illicit activities tied to Venezuelan crude transport.
The intensified enforcement follows a U.S. declaration of a comprehensive naval blockade on sanctioned oil tankers and a wider pressure campaign against the Venezuelan government, including recent military and diplomatic actions aimed at curbing oil revenues that Washington says fuel criminal networks and undermine regional security.
Moscow has condemned the seizure of the Marinera, challenging the legal basis for boarding a Russian-flagged vessel on the high seas.
The latest moves underscore mounting geopolitical tension over control of Venezuela’s vast oil resources and demonstrate Washington’s determination to tighten sanctions compliance and limit Caracas’s ability to export crude.
On January seventh, U.S. military and Coast Guard units intercepted the vessel Marinera — formerly known as Bella 1 — in the North Atlantic after a prolonged pursuit that began in late December, and separately took control of the tanker M Sophia in the Caribbean Sea as part of what U.S. officials describe as an operation to disrupt sanctioned oil exports.
The two tankers are among a growing number of vessels targeted under the Trump administration’s campaign against what it calls a “shadow fleet” of sanctioned ships transporting Venezuelan, Russian and Iranian oil through opaque networks.
U.S. European Command and Homeland Security officials said the actions were carried out pursuant to U.S. sanctions law and reflect a broader blockade imposed around Venezuela to prevent sanctioned oil from reaching international markets.
The Bella 1 had previously attempted to evade interception by refusing boarding and altering its course, flag and name, leading to weeks of tracking by U.S. forces before its seizure.
M Sophia, identified in sanctions lists by both the United States and United Kingdom, was stopped in international waters as it was believed to have been engaged in illicit activities tied to Venezuelan crude transport.
The intensified enforcement follows a U.S. declaration of a comprehensive naval blockade on sanctioned oil tankers and a wider pressure campaign against the Venezuelan government, including recent military and diplomatic actions aimed at curbing oil revenues that Washington says fuel criminal networks and undermine regional security.
Moscow has condemned the seizure of the Marinera, challenging the legal basis for boarding a Russian-flagged vessel on the high seas.
The latest moves underscore mounting geopolitical tension over control of Venezuela’s vast oil resources and demonstrate Washington’s determination to tighten sanctions compliance and limit Caracas’s ability to export crude.
