US military forces have seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, intensifying Washington’s maritime pressure campaign linked to Venezuela. The vessel, named Veronica, is the sixth tanker boarded and taken under US control since December 10, underscoring a sustained blockade aimed at restricting oil shipments connected to the South American nation.
In a statement on January 15, U.S. Southern Command said US Marines and Navy sailors conducted a pre-dawn boarding operation without incident. Troops launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford as part of Joint Task Force Southern Spear, acting in support of the Department of Homeland Security.
Latest Seizure in Expanding Maritime Operation
According to SOUTHCOM, the Veronica was intercepted while attempting to breach what it described as President Donald Trump’s “established quarantine” on sanctioned oil shipments tied to Venezuela. Video footage released by the command showed US troops descending from helicopters onto the tanker’s deck during the operation.
The seizure took place just hours before Trump hosted Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Prize laureate María Corina Machado at the White House, highlighting the broader political context surrounding the military action.
Blockade Persists After Maduro’s Capture
The tanker blockade began as part of a wider pressure campaign against former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by US forces during a January 3 raid and flown to the United States to face federal drug trafficking charges, which he denies.
Despite Maduro’s capture, US forces have continued maritime enforcement operations. Since early December, the military has seized the tankers Skipper, Centuries, Bella 1, Sophia, Olina, and now Veronica. SOUTHCOM said the objective remains to ensure that any Venezuelan oil exports occur only through channels approved by Washington.
“The only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully,” the command said.
Multinational and Interagency Coordination
SOUTHCOM said the latest operation was supported by the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, as well as the amphibious transport docks USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale. The action was coordinated with the US Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice.
Public ship-tracking data indicated the Veronica was flagged to Guyana, though its operators reportedly attempted to evade seizure by claiming a Russian flag and renaming the vessel Galileo shortly before the boarding. Similar tactics were used by the operators of Bella 1, which briefly reflagged under a Russian registry.
Growing International Tensions
The Russian Foreign Ministry has criticized earlier US tanker seizures, arguing that vessels lawfully registered under foreign flags should not be subject to force. The dispute adds a diplomatic dimension to the Caribbean operations, as Washington balances enforcement actions with rising geopolitical sensitivities.
For now, US officials show no sign of easing the blockade. The continued seizures signal that maritime enforcement remains a central pillar of US strategy as it seeks to control Venezuelan oil flows and shape the country’s political transition.
