The United States military has seized a seventh oil tanker linked to Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea, continuing a month-long campaign to disrupt the South American nation's petroleum exports. The vessel was apprehended without incident by US Southern Command forces, which maintain a substantial naval presence in the region.
Seventh Interception in Caribbean Waters
On Tuesday, US forces intercepted the Motor Vessel Sagitta, marking the seventh such seizure since President Donald Trump initiated his campaign against Venezuelan oil shipments. The Southern Command, overseeing nearly a dozen warships and thousands of troops in the area, confirmed the operation proceeded smoothly.
Statement from US Southern Command
In an official statement, the Southern Command declared: "The apprehension of another tanker operating in defiance of President Trump's established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean demonstrates our resolve to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully."
The command emphasised its commitment to enforcing sanctions against vessels attempting to transport oil from Venezuela without proper authorisation.
Trump's Venezuela Policy Escalation
President Trump has consistently focused his Latin American foreign policy on Venezuela, initially aiming to remove President Nicolas Maduro from power. Following unsuccessful diplomatic efforts, Trump ordered US forces to attempt to seize Maduro and his wife in a daring overnight raid on January 3.
Since that operation, Trump has announced plans for the US to control Venezuela's oil resources indefinitely as part of a $100 billion initiative to rebuild the country's dilapidated petroleum industry.
Targeting Sanctioned Vessels and Shadow Fleets
The vessels intercepted over the past month have fallen into two categories:
- Ships directly under US sanctions
- Vessels belonging to "shadow fleets" that disguise their origins to transport oil from sanctioned producers including Iran, Russia, and Venezuela
This systematic approach represents a significant escalation in US efforts to control the flow of Venezuelan oil through Caribbean waters, with Southern Command maintaining a robust military presence to enforce the quarantine of sanctioned vessels.
