US Navy Seizes Two Oil Tankers Linked to Venezuela in North Atlantic and Caribbean
In a series of coordinated operations, the US military has seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela, one in the North Atlantic and another in the Caribbean Sea. The vessels, identified as the Marinera and M/T Sophia, were targeted by US naval forces for violating US sanctions and engaging in illicit activities.
According to officials, the Marinera, a tanker previously known as Bella-1, was seized after being tracked by USCGC Munro and pursuant to a warrant issued by a US federal court. Navy SEALs took control of the vessel, which had been sailing under the Russian flag, despite having historically carried Venezuelan crude oil and being sanctioned by the Treasury Department.
The M/T Sophia, flying a Cameroonian flag, was seized in the Caribbean after being detected engaging in illicit activities. The vessel had left Venezuela with oil on board, violating US embargo policies. US officials confirmed that no US personnel were injured during the operation, and the vessel is currently under US control.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristin Noem described the operations as "back-to-back" and "meticulously coordinated," adding that the vessels were either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it. She also claimed that the ships had been trying to evade the Coast Guard for weeks, even changing their flag and name while being pursued.
Russia has responded to the seizures, stating that the vessels had been granted temporary permission to sail under the Russian flag, issued in accordance with Russian legislation and international law. The country's Ministry of Transport also emphasized that US naval forces had lost communication with the Marinera after boarding it at 3 p.m. Moscow time.
The seizures are part of a broader pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by US forces last weekend. Two other oil tankers were seized by the US last month, highlighting the ongoing efforts to disrupt Venezuela's illicit oil trade.
Ships like the Marinera and The Skipper, which were recently intercepted by US naval forces, are part of a so-called shadow fleet that illegally transports oil from sanctioned nations like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. Maduro has rejected US allegations about the vessels' use, accusing the country of plundering Venezuelan resources under the guise of law enforcement.
The seizures demonstrate the US commitment to enforcing sanctions and disrupting illicit activities linked to Venezuela's government. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Russia will respond to these actions and whether they will escalate tensions in the region.
In a series of coordinated operations, the US military has seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela, one in the North Atlantic and another in the Caribbean Sea. The vessels, identified as the Marinera and M/T Sophia, were targeted by US naval forces for violating US sanctions and engaging in illicit activities.
According to officials, the Marinera, a tanker previously known as Bella-1, was seized after being tracked by USCGC Munro and pursuant to a warrant issued by a US federal court. Navy SEALs took control of the vessel, which had been sailing under the Russian flag, despite having historically carried Venezuelan crude oil and being sanctioned by the Treasury Department.
The M/T Sophia, flying a Cameroonian flag, was seized in the Caribbean after being detected engaging in illicit activities. The vessel had left Venezuela with oil on board, violating US embargo policies. US officials confirmed that no US personnel were injured during the operation, and the vessel is currently under US control.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristin Noem described the operations as "back-to-back" and "meticulously coordinated," adding that the vessels were either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it. She also claimed that the ships had been trying to evade the Coast Guard for weeks, even changing their flag and name while being pursued.
Russia has responded to the seizures, stating that the vessels had been granted temporary permission to sail under the Russian flag, issued in accordance with Russian legislation and international law. The country's Ministry of Transport also emphasized that US naval forces had lost communication with the Marinera after boarding it at 3 p.m. Moscow time.
The seizures are part of a broader pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by US forces last weekend. Two other oil tankers were seized by the US last month, highlighting the ongoing efforts to disrupt Venezuela's illicit oil trade.
Ships like the Marinera and The Skipper, which were recently intercepted by US naval forces, are part of a so-called shadow fleet that illegally transports oil from sanctioned nations like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. Maduro has rejected US allegations about the vessels' use, accusing the country of plundering Venezuelan resources under the guise of law enforcement.
The seizures demonstrate the US commitment to enforcing sanctions and disrupting illicit activities linked to Venezuela's government. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Russia will respond to these actions and whether they will escalate tensions in the region.
! Like, I'm not surprised tbh - been hearing rumors about the Maduro gov being involved in some shady stuff for ages 
. According to my stats, 74% of all oil tankers seized by the US since 2018 were linked to sanctioned nations like Russia and Iran 
. That's a clear pattern here!
. But at the same time, we gotta keep an eye on how this all plays out with Russia - 67% of all global oil exports from sanctioned nations come through Russian ports 
.
It's like, a total market shift! And according to my data, Venezuela's oil exports have decreased by 25% in the same period 
And what about Russia's response? Will they escalate tensions or play it cool? 
Only time'll tell! 
But at what cost? Is anyone even thinking about the people affected by these oil tankers and the sanctions that come with them?
another day, another oil tanker seized by the US 
the fact that Maduro is being accused of plundering Venezuelan resources is a whole other can of worms 
i'm not buying into all this, but at the same time, you've got to wonder if these seizures are really just about enforcing sanctions or if there's more to it 
this is getting outta hand 
two oil tankers seized by the US navy 
in the North Atlantic and Caribbean 
what's next? 
or just more sanctions 
and what about Russia's response? 
are they hiding something? 
but also gotta respect Maduro's claims of innocent sailing 
under the Russian flag 
meanwhile, the US is just trying to disrupt Venezuela's illicit oil trade 
so like the usa is basically saying we're not gonna let you venezuela do whatever u wanna with ur oil 
its not easy being a global superpower with so many problems to deal with
. The US is just tryin' to shut down Venezuela's oil game, and they're willing to take the heat for it 
. Now that Maduro's gettin' the ol' US boot 
, this could be the start of somethin' big 
.
they didn't have all these fancy tracking systems like now... these new tankers are so easy to track, it's like they're asking to be caught 
and what's with the changing flags and names? seems like a bunch of hooey to me 
. The US is cracking down on Venezuela's oil trade, but Russia is pushing back, and we're left wondering what's really going on in that region 
So I think what's really interesting here is the cat-and-mouse game between the US and Russia (and Venezuela). The US is clearly trying to crack down on the oil trade that's been going on, but it's not like they're being transparent about their methods. 
they're really cracking down on those illicit activities and sanctions 
but at the same time, it's a bit concerning that Russia is getting all bent out of shape about it 
it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out in the coming days 
I mean two ships got seized by US Navy already and there's more coming... what's next? 
And Russia is all like "we did nothing wrong" 