U.S. Seizes Seventh Sanctioned Venezuelan Tanker Under Trump’s Caribbean 'Quarantine' Amid Plan to Control and Sell Oil
U.S. forces, led by U.S. Southern Command with Marines, Coast Guard and other assets, seized the seventh sanctioned tanker tied to Venezuelan oil — the Motor Vessel Sagitta — in the Caribbean "without incident" as part of President Trump’s declared Caribbean "quarantine" targeting a sanctions‑evasion "shadow fleet." The action is one element of a wider campaign that has included high‑profile pursuits (notably the Marinera/Bella‑1 in the North Atlantic), legal seizure warrants and at least one $500 million sale, and sits alongside an administration plan to control and sell tens of millions of barrels of Venezuelan crude, a policy that has raised international tensions (including with Russia) and prompted U.S. congressional debate.
📌 Key Facts
- The U.S. has seized seven Venezuelan‑linked, sanctioned oil tankers since Dec. 10, 2025—most in the Caribbean and one in the North Atlantic—and the latest vessel was identified by U.S. officials as the Motor Vessel Sagitta; authorities say the seizures were carried out without incident under SOUTHCOM authority and show unclassified video or footage in several cases.
- One high‑profile capture was the tanker formerly known as Bella 1 (renamed Marinera), which U.S. forces pursued from the Caribbean across the North Atlantic after it reflagged and flew a Russian flag; U.S. Coast Guard and Navy teams boarded the ship with wide military support (P‑8 surveillance, AC‑130s, helicopters) and Russia protested and reportedly deployed naval assets but did not force a confrontation.
- The operations have been coordinated across U.S. agencies—U.S. Southern Command/Joint Task Force Southern Spear (Operation Southern Spear), the Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, DHS and DOJ—with seizures executed pursuant to U.S. federal court warrants and described by officials as enforcement of a Trump administration 'quarantine' or blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan vessels.
- The White House and senior administration officials frame the campaign as disrupting a 'shadow' or 'dark' fleet that finances Nicolás Maduro’s regime and evades sanctions; the administration says it will redirect and sell seized Venezuelan crude under U.S. control and has completed an initial U.S.‑run sale valued at about $500 million.
- Top administration figures (including President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio) have publicly described plans to control and sell 30–50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, hold U.S.‑coordinated sales 'indefinitely,' and encourage U.S. energy investment in Venezuela (administration claims as much as $100 billion), while Energy Secretary Chris Wright emphasizes the U.S. is 'running the sale of their crudes' even if not formally running PDVSA.
- The campaign has raised major legal and political questions at home and abroad: Congress is debating a Tim Kaine war‑powers resolution to limit U.S. military involvement in or against Venezuela; Maduro is in U.S. custody facing narco‑terrorism charges and his defense is preparing legal challenges; and the administration has filed additional seizure warrants and OFAC has designated firms and tankers tied to the shadow fleet.
- The actions have heightened international tensions and regional effects: Russia condemned the seizures and reportedly escorted or monitored some vessels, European partners (including France and Britain) have taken allied enforcement actions, and countries dependent on Venezuelan crude—most notably Cuba—face potential fuel shortfalls that analysts warn could deepen humanitarian and economic crises.
- Reports and intelligence describe tactics used by the shadow fleet to evade interdiction—transponders turned off ('dark mode'), rapid renaming/reflagging of ships (e.g., Bella 1→Marinera), and alleged plans to place disguised military personnel or air‑defense systems aboard—and U.S. officials say the campaign is aimed at breaking those sanctions‑evading networks while recovering and monetizing Venezuelan oil revenue.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
A reply to critics on American oil and gas
"A policy‑oriented rebuttal that defends using U.S. control over Venezuelan oil as pragmatic leverage while urging realism about legal constraints, market mechanics, and geopolitical risks."
🔬 Explanations (2)
Deeper context and explanatory frameworks for understanding this story
Phenomenon: Russian naval escort of a Venezuelan oil tanker to evade US seizure
Explanation: Russia's alliance with Venezuela stems from a long-term geopolitical strategy initiated under Hugo Chávez to counter US dominance in Latin America, providing Russia with a strategic foothold in the Western Hemisphere through military, energy, and diplomatic cooperation, which helps both nations resist Western sanctions and project anti-hegemonic influence
Evidence: Historical analysis traces the alliance to 2005, with Russia supplying arms and oil technology to Venezuela in exchange for diplomatic support and market access, evolving into mutual sanctions evasion amid shared ideological opposition to US policies
Alternative view: Economic motivations, such as Russia's interest in recovering billions in loans and investments in Venezuela's oil sector, or ideological alignment based on constructivist theories of shared identity against Western liberalism
💡 This explanation complicates the typical coverage's focus on immediate tensions by highlighting the deep historical and strategic roots of the alliance, suggesting it's not just a reaction to current events but a sustained effort to reshape regional power dynamics
Phenomenon: US military seizure of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers in international waters
Explanation: The US enforces oil sanctions through naval interdictions to disrupt Venezuela's primary revenue source, aiming to economically isolate the regime and force political change, driven by policy frameworks that link economic pressure to addressing humanitarian crises and regional instability caused by mismanagement and corruption
Evidence: Analysis shows Venezuela's oil production declined over 1.5 million barrels per day due to regime mismanagement, with sanctions targeting this vulnerability to cut off foreign exchange and pressure successors after Maduro's capture
Alternative view: Geopolitical aims to counter Russian and Chinese influence in Latin America by controlling energy resources
💡 It deepens the narrative beyond mere enforcement by emphasizing the policy intent to exploit economic weaknesses for regime change, challenging simplistic views of US actions as purely punitive
📰 Source Timeline (49)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 23, 2026
2:25 AM
Russian oil tanker ‘The Grinch’ intercepted as US, allies escalate sanctions crackdown
New information:
- France’s navy intercepted and boarded a Russian-linked oil tanker named The Grinch in the western Mediterranean between Spain and Morocco, suspecting it is part of Moscow’s sanctions‑evading 'shadow fleet'.
- French forces, acting on intelligence shared with the U.K. and other allies, inspected the ship’s documents, raised doubts about the validity of its Comoros flag, and are escorting it to anchorage for further verification.
- The article highlights Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Davos criticism that Europe is not matching U.S. (Trump‑era) seizures of shadow‑fleet tankers, and notes EUCOM’s earlier seizure of the Russian‑flagged Marinera in the North Atlantic.
January 20, 2026
11:35 PM
U.S. forces seize 7th sanctioned tanker linked to Venezuela in Trump's effort to control its oil
New information:
- Identifies the seventh seized vessel as the Liberian‑flagged Motor Vessel Sagitta, owned and managed via a Hong Kong company and previously sanctioned under a 2022 Russia‑Ukraine executive order.
- Specifies that SOUTHCOM says Sagitta was apprehended 'without incident,' was operating in defiance of Trump’s 'quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean,' and had taken on Venezuelan oil.
- Reports Trump’s latest claim that the U.S. has already taken 50 million barrels of oil out of Venezuela and is selling it on the open market to 'bring down oil prices incredibly.'
- Clarifies Sagitta’s last known AIS transmission two months earlier exiting the Baltic Sea and notes that, unlike prior seizure videos, released footage did not show the U.S. boarding operation.
- Reiterates that most prior tankers were seized near Venezuela except the Bella 1, which was intercepted in the North Atlantic after abruptly diverting toward Europe.
11:19 PM
U.S. seizes a seventh Venezuelan-linked oil tanker in Caribbean
New information:
- Confirms the seized vessel is the Motor Vessel Sagitta, a Panamanian-flagged tanker owned by Sunne Co Limited, which OFAC says owns multiple sanctioned ships in a "shadow fleet" moving oil from Iran, Russia and Venezuela.
- Clarifies that Sagitta was apprehended "without incident" in the Caribbean under U.S. Southern Command authority and shows unclassified aerial video of the seizure.
- Restates that this is the seventh Venezuelan-linked tanker seized since Dec. 10, 2025, with six in the Caribbean and one in the North Atlantic, explicitly tying the action to Trump’s order that "the only oil leaving Venezuela" will be U.S.-coordinated and 'lawful.'
- Adds that the first U.S.-run sale of Venezuelan oil — valued at about $500 million — was completed last week, further situating the Sagitta seizure inside an operational plan to redirect Venezuelan crude under U.S. control.
11:01 PM
U.S. seizes another oil tanker with alleged ties to Venezuela in Caribbean
New information:
- Identifies the newly seized vessel as Motor Vessel Sagitta and notes it was taken 'without incident' Tuesday morning in the Caribbean.
- Confirms this is the seventh tanker seized under President Trump’s Caribbean 'quarantine' on sanctioned Venezuelan-linked vessels.
- Quotes a fresh SOUTHCOM statement framing the seizure as ensuring that 'the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully.'
9:40 PM
US forces apprehend sanctioned vessel in Caribbean maritime operation targeting illicit oil transport
New information:
- U.S. Southern Command confirms U.S. forces apprehended the 'Motor Vessel Sagitta,' another sanctioned Venezuelan oil tanker, in the Caribbean without incident.
- The seizure is explicitly described as enforcing President Trump’s 'quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean' and framed as ensuring that 'the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully.'
- The operation is identified as part of #OpSouthernSpear, conducted jointly by the U.S. military, Coast Guard, DHS, and Justice Department, and accompanied by new video footage of the ship and personnel on deck.
January 16, 2026
3:07 AM
1/15: CBS Evening News
New information:
- CBS packages the seizure of the sixth Venezuela‑linked tanker as part of a broader national‑news rundown, reiterating that U.S. forces took control of another sanctioned vessel tied to Venezuelan crude.
- The segment underscores this latest seizure as the continuation of an ongoing U.S. 'quarantine' policy in the Caribbean and Atlantic, rather than a standalone legal action.
- It reinforces that U.S. authorities claim these ships are part of sanctioned oil flows Washington now intends to redirect and sell under U.S. control.
2:25 AM
Latin America rebel groups urged to form 'super guerrilla' alliance against Trump
New information:
- Colombian FARC dissident leader Néstor Gregorio Vera ('Iván Mordisco') has released a video urging rival Latin American guerrilla groups to form a united 'insurgent bloc' against President Trump and a feared U.S.-backed intervention.
- The appeal explicitly targets the ELN and other factions operating along the Colombia–Venezuela border and in Venezuela’s illegal mining zones, arguing that U.S. action in Venezuela threatens them all equally.
- Colombian President Gustavo Petro has publicly seized on the unity threat to call for a joint effort with Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez to 'remove' drug‑trafficking guerrillas, amid reports of possible U.S.–Colombia–Venezuela cooperation that could finally go after the ELN’s cross‑border sanctuary.
January 15, 2026
7:16 PM
U.S. seizes sixth sanctioned tanker it says has ties to Venezuela in Trump's effort to control its oil
New information:
- Identifies the latest seized ship as the Motor Tanker Veronica, currently flying the Guyana flag and described as part of the shadow fleet moving oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.
- Details that Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford took part in the boarding, alongside a Coast Guard tactical team, and that U.S. Southern Command says the seizure was 'without incident.'
- Provides registration history tying the Veronica to prior names Gallileo and Pegas, with ownership/management linked to a Russian company and a prior U.S. Treasury designation for moving illicit Russian oil.
- Clarifies the Veronica last broadcast its AIS position Jan. 3 at anchor off Aruba, partially filled with crude, just north of Venezuela’s main oil terminal.
- Quotes DHS Secretary Kristi Noem asserting there is 'no outrunning or escaping American justice,' while also noting other Trump officials have been explicit that the tanker seizures are meant to generate cash to rebuild Venezuela’s oil sector, with Trump discussing a $100 billion investment and plans to sell 30–50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan crude.
3:47 PM
US military seizes another fugitive oil tanker linked to Venezuela
New information:
- Identifies the newly seized tanker as Motor/Tanker Veronica and confirms it was taken 'without incident' in a pre-dawn raid launched from USS Gerald R. Ford by Marines and sailors of Joint Task Force Southern Spear.
- Quotes a new U.S. Southern Command statement framing the campaign as enforcing President Trump’s 'quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean' and vowing that 'the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully.'
- Details additional U.S. Navy platforms backing the operation — USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale — and explicitly ties the seizures to the rebranded Department of War.
- Adds fresh Trump comments to The New York Times saying the U.S. will 'run' Venezuela 'much longer' than a year, will 'rebuild it in a very profitable way,' and expects up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil to be handed over and sold 'immediately,' lowering U.S. prices while sending some money back to Venezuela.
- Notes that Trump recently shared a doctored image depicting him as 'Acting President of Venezuela' on a mock Wikipedia page, underscoring his own rhetorical framing of U.S. control.
3:06 PM
U.S. forces seize sixth Venezuela-linked oil tanker
New information:
- U.S. Southern Command says Marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, launching from the USS Gerald R. Ford, seized Motor/Tanker Veronica in a pre‑dawn operation Thursday without incident.
- SOUTHCOM describes the Veronica as the sixth Venezuela‑linked tanker seized under President Trump’s 'quarantine' on sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean, explicitly framing it as proof of 'the effectiveness of Operation Southern Spear.'
- The article recaps that in the prior week the U.S. seized three other Venezuela‑linked tankers — Marinera (formerly Bella‑1, sailing under the Russian flag) in the North Atlantic, and Olina and Sophia in the Caribbean — as part of a crackdown on a 'shadow fleet' moving sanctioned oil.
- An administration official confirms the first U.S. sale of Venezuelan oil seized under this strategy has been completed, valued at $500 million, with more sales expected in coming days and weeks.
- The piece links the latest tanker seizure to the recent U.S. operation capturing Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and to Trump’s broader plan to sell millions of barrels of Venezuelan crude and control the proceeds, while noting he is about to meet Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House.
January 13, 2026
10:29 PM
Trump administration files seizure warrants targeting ships tied to Venezuelan oil trade: report
New information:
- The Trump administration has filed additional seizure warrants in U.S. courts to confiscate ships and oil cargoes linked to Venezuela’s sanctioned oil trade, on top of earlier seizures.
- At least five vessels have already been seized by the U.S. military and Coast Guard in international waters in recent weeks as part of this campaign.
- The War Department publicly vowed to 'hunt down and interdict ALL dark fleet vessels transporting Venezuelan oil' and claimed that in the last 24 hours at least seven such vessels turned around to avoid U.S. interdiction.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi said DOJ is monitoring several additional vessels beyond the already seized Bella‑1, signaling more potential actions.
January 12, 2026
9:01 PM
Judge rejects lawyer's disputed bid to join ex-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s defense team
New information:
- The article confirms that in the U.S. narco‑terrorism prosecution flowing from the raid that removed Maduro, Judge Hellerstein is asserting strict control over who may appear as counsel, rejecting outside lawyer Bruce Fein’s attempt to insert himself without a direct retainer.
- It reiterates that Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have pleaded not guilty and are being held without bail at a federal jail in Brooklyn, with their next court date set for March 17.
- Defense lawyer Barry Pollack plans substantial filings contesting the legality of the U.S. military abduction and invoking head‑of‑state immunity, foreshadowing looming legal fights that parallel the administration’s claimed authority to seize Venezuelan oil.
January 11, 2026
7:23 PM
"Real possibility" U.S. businesses take stake in Venezuelan oil, energy secretary says
New information:
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CBS it is 'quite likely' American companies will have an expanded presence and financial stake in Venezuela’s oil industry as the country 'moves on' from Maduro’s removal.
- Wright clarified that the U.S. is not formally 'running' PDVSA but is 'running the sale of their crudes' under a quarantine that forces Venezuelan oil exports through American crude marketers, with the U.S. collecting proceeds and sending funds back to Venezuela.
- He said U.S. control over oil sales and revenue flows is intended to bring 'relatively rapid change' in Venezuela and that the U.S. is working with current power holders, including indicted strongman Diosdado Cabello, because they 'have the guns today' even though the U.S. does not regard the current setup as a 'legitimate government.'
- Wright acknowledged Trump’s public threat to cut off Cuban access to Venezuelan oil but said off-camera that the U.S. is not currently asking Mexico, a key fuel supplier to Cuba, to halt oil shipments to the island.
January 10, 2026
7:44 PM
Four tankers that left Venezuela in 'dark mode' return as US eyes the country's oil
New information:
- Four tankers that left Venezuela in early January in "dark mode" (transponders off) have reportedly returned to Venezuelan waters, according to PDVSA and TankerTrackers.com.
- The U.S. seized the supertanker M Sophia and the tanker Olina from the outbound flotilla; PDVSA says the Olina was later released back to Venezuela.
- U.S. Southern Command detailed that Marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a pre‑dawn raid on the Olina backed by the USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale.
- The outbound flotilla included roughly a dozen loaded vessels and at least three empty ships attempting to evade a U.S. blockade imposed since mid‑December.
- On Jan. 9, 2026 Trump hosted nearly two dozen oil executives at the White House — from Chevron, Exxon, ConocoPhillips and other majors and traders — telling them they now have "total security" to invest in Venezuela and that they will deal "directly" with the U.S., not Venezuela.
6:37 PM
Trump signs order to protect Venezuela oil revenue held in US accounts
New information:
- President Trump signed a new executive order blocking U.S. courts from seizing Venezuelan oil revenues that are held in U.S. Treasury accounts.
- The order explicitly states that court actions against those funds would undermine U.S. national-security and foreign-policy objectives.
- The order was signed the same day Trump met nearly two dozen top oil and gas executives at the White House, where he said U.S. energy companies would invest $100 billion to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure and push production to record levels.
5:49 AM
A battered Cuba braces for aftershocks as US seizures of oil tankers linked to Venezuela surge
New information:
- Experts estimate Cuba was receiving about 35,000 barrels per day of oil from Venezuela before the Jan. 3 U.S. raid, plus roughly 5,500 bpd from Mexico and 7,500 bpd from Russia (per Jorge Piñón of the University of Texas at Austin Energy Institute).
- Cuba’s GDP has fallen approximately 15% over the last six years, with President Miguel Díaz-Canel citing a 4% contraction in 2025 alone.
- From 2020 to 2024, Cuba’s population declined by around 1.4 million people, which experts largely attribute to migration driven by the deepening economic crisis.
- Analyst Michael Galant argues that the Trump administration’s expanded sanctions and tanker seizures are deliberately designed to push Cuba’s economy to 'collapsing' conditions in hopes of triggering unrest or regime change.
- Cuban economists warn that a sharp loss of Venezuelan fuel will worsen blackouts, deepen shortages and spur additional emigration, including among people who had not previously considered leaving.
January 09, 2026
3:40 PM
Trump says Venezuela stole American oil. Here's what really happened.
New information:
- Energy-law and policy experts note that Venezuela’s constitution vests ownership of underground oil and gas reserves in the Venezuelan state, meaning the crude itself was never legally U.S. 'property.'
- The article links Trump’s 'theft' language to Hugo Chávez’s 2007 nationalization drive and the confiscation of ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips production assets after they refused to accept PDVSA majority control.
- It notes the World Bank (through arbitration) has ruled in favor of ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips on expropriation claims, but the companies have not yet recovered those awards.
- A legal expert, Ted Posner, underscores that numerous U.S. companies still have unresolved claims against Venezuela they have been trying to collect on for years.
- CBS confirms a forthcoming White House meeting where executives from Exxon, Chevron and ConocoPhillips — along with Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright — will discuss Venezuela; ConocoPhillips confirms CEO Ryan Lance will attend.
3:36 PM
U.S. intercepts 5th sanctioned tanker as it exerts control over Venezuelan oil distribution
New information:
- U.S. Southern Command says U.S. Marines and Navy forces conducted a pre‑dawn boarding and search of the tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea.
- Southern Command describes Olina as the fifth tanker seized by U.S. forces in the Trump administration’s campaign to control global distribution of Venezuelan oil products after Maduro’s ouster.
- Southern Command released unclassified video of a U.S. helicopter landing on the Olina and personnel searching the deck.
- SOUTHCOM states the Navy and Marine Corps were supporting a Department of Homeland Security‑led operation; questions about the ship’s ownership and sanctions status were referred to DOJ and DHS.
- The U.S. Coast Guard declined comment and directed inquiries to the White House.
2:36 PM
U.S. forces seize 5th oil tanker linked to Venezuela
New information:
- U.S. Southern Command confirmed that a fifth oil tanker linked to Venezuela, the Olina, was interdicted in the Caribbean and is in the process of being seized.
- SOUTHCOM said Marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford in a pre-dawn operation to support the Department of Homeland Security.
- This is the third Venezuela-linked tanker seized by U.S. forces in the same week; two others were interdicted Wednesday, including the Marinera (formerly Bella‑1) in the North Atlantic and the M/T Sophia in the Caribbean.
- U.S. European Command publicly confirmed the seizure of the Marinera after a pursuit from the coast of South America.
- SOUTHCOM framed the action in a statement on X as part of a mission to 'defend our homeland by ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere,' adding there is 'no safe haven for criminals.'
12:00 PM
Inside the sea war to contain ‘dark fleet’ vessels — and what the US seizure signals to Russia
New information:
- Fox reports the Coast Guard seized the empty tanker formerly known as Bella I in international waters in the North Atlantic during a U.S. European Command–overseen operation.
- The ship is described as Russia-flagged or Russia-linked and part of Moscow’s 'shadow' or 'dark' fleet used to evade oil sanctions imposed after the 2022 Ukraine invasion.
- Analysts say the U.S. rarely boards foreign-flagged ships on the high seas unless nationality is in doubt due to rapid reflagging and sanctions-evading patterns, making this operation 'unique.'
- The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Russia dispatched a submarine to escort the tanker after an earlier U.S. seizure attempt off Venezuela, raising the risk of a naval standoff.
- Experts quoted (Brent Sadler, Peter Rough) argue that Russia is unlikely to escalate militarily over this seizure because it is focused on the Ukraine war and is seeking a favorable outcome from Trump in Ukraine peace talks, so its response will likely be limited to protests and legal/political complaints.
10:02 AM
President Trump says there won't be a 'second Wave of Attacks' against Venezuela due to their 'cooperation'
New information:
- Trump links his decision to cancel a second wave of attacks to cooperation on rebuilding Venezuela’s oil and gas infrastructure.
- He specifies that 'at least 100 Billion Dollars' will be invested by major oil companies in Venezuela’s energy sector.
- He says he will meet with 'Big Oil' executives at the White House the same day to discuss this investment.
- He characterizes U.S.–Venezuelan cooperation as 'working well together' on rebuilding energy infrastructure, in addition to earlier assertions of indefinite U.S. control over Venezuelan oil flows.
4:33 AM
Trump discusses expansion of drug cartel crackdown, issues grim warning to Iran
New information:
- Trump personally touts Venezuelan oil as a key U.S. 'win' from Maduro’s removal, underscores that revenue will go to both Venezuelans and Americans, and frames upcoming talks with 'the top 14' oil companies as the vehicle to 'rebuild the entire oil infrastructure' under U.S. guidance.
- He characterizes post‑raid Venezuelan authorities as highly cooperative, saying 'everything we’ve wanted, they’ve given us,' reinforcing the administration’s narrative of Venezuelan acquiescence to U.S. oil‑sector control.
January 08, 2026
10:24 PM
UK keeps billions in Venezuelan gold reserves frozen at Bank of England after Maduro arrest
New information:
- UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Parliament on Jan. 5 that, because Britain does not recognize Venezuela’s current administration, over $1 billion in Venezuelan gold reserves held at the Bank of England are unlikely to be released despite Maduro’s arrest and Delcy Rodríguez’s appointment as interim leader.
- The article notes that Venezuelan gold reserves at the Bank of England, valued around $1.95 billion in 2020 and likely over $3 billion now given price increases, remain frozen under London’s jurisdiction in line with UK recognition policy and the 'One Voice' doctrine.
- Background detail: Venezuela sold large quantities of gold from 2012–2016, including a reported 85‑metric‑ton tranche in early 2016, and has seen net sales of about 179 tons since 2022 per World Gold Council figures cited by analyst Rhona O’Connell.
- The piece recalls that UK courts, culminating in a Supreme Court decision, recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as president for purposes of controlling access to the gold, and that Maduro’s 2020 legal efforts to force the Bank of England to release the bullion failed in that framework.
- Mention that Swiss authorities have also frozen assets linked to Maduro and associates following his arrest by U.S. forces, though without disclosing totals.
4:58 PM
US aims to assert its control over Venezuelan oil with tanker seizures and global sales
New information:
- Confirms seizure of two additional sanctioned tankers: merchant vessel Bella 1 in the North Atlantic and M Sophia in the Caribbean Sea, on grounds of violating U.S. sanctions and links to Venezuelan oil movements.
- U.S. European Command publicly announced the Bella 1 seizure on social media, while DHS Secretary Kristi Noem disclosed the M Sophia operation, specifying both had last docked in or were en route to Venezuela.
- The Energy Department states that, following Maduro’s ouster, 'only oil transported in and out of Venezuela' will move through U.S.‑approved channels under U.S. law and national‑security criteria.
- Vice President JD Vance explicitly frames U.S. strategy as controlling Venezuela’s 'purse strings' by dictating where Venezuelan oil can be sold, saying the U.S. will allow sales only when they serve 'America’s national interest.'
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the oil seized from Bella 1 and M Sophia is expected to be folded into the up‑to‑50‑million‑barrel oil‑for‑U.S.‑control deal announced by Trump, with Venezuela’s interim authorities backing that use.
- The article underscores that this level of control over Venezuela’s reserves could give the Trump administration broader ability to influence global oil supplies and potentially prices.
12:10 PM
Community reacts to ICE shooting in Minnesota. And, RFK Jr. unveils new food pyramid
New information:
- U.S. forces seized a Russian‑flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic between Iceland and Britain after a two‑week chase; the ship had originally been headed to Venezuela but altered course to avoid U.S. vessels.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that the U.S. strategy to stabilize Venezuela centers heavily on oil, including taking control of up to 50 million barrels.
- NPR’s Greg Myre describes the approach as a multipronged strategy: seizing control of Venezuelan oil, selling it on the world market and pressuring U.S. oil companies to operate in Venezuela.
- The tanker interception is framed as part of a dramatic week of U.S. operations tied to post‑raid Venezuela policy, prompting critics to question whether a detailed long‑term plan exists.
11:52 AM
Trump lays out Venezuela oil strategy as Democrats push for war powers vote
New information:
- Trump told the New York Times the U.S. could be 'overseeing things in Venezuela' for 'much longer' than a year and expects the U.S. to be taking Venezuelan oil 'for years.'
- Trump said, 'We will rebuild (Venezuela) in a very profitable way,' describing using and taking oil to get prices down while giving money to Venezuela.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Venezuela's government has agreed to let the U.S. sell 30–50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, with proceeds Venezuela can use to buy U.S.-made goods.
- Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned the U.S. seizure of the Russian‑flagged, Venezuela‑linked tanker Marinera in the North Atlantic, accusing Washington of stoking tensions and threatening international shipping.
- U.S. European Command said the Marinera was seized for violations of U.S. sanctions under a U.S. federal court warrant after being tracked by USCGC Munro; it was one of two Venezuela-linked tankers seized Wednesday.
- Sen. Tim Kaine’s new war powers resolution would require removal of U.S. forces from hostilities 'within or against Venezuela' not authorized by Congress, and the Senate is expected to hold a third war powers vote late Thursday morning.
- Sen. Rand Paul, the lone Republican cosponsor, stated, 'I think bombing a capital and removing the head of state is by all definitions, war.'
- A CBS News poll finds just over half of Americans oppose the operation to remove Maduro, showing a sharply divided public.
11:11 AM
Live Updates: Trump Says U.S. Will ‘Rebuild’ Venezuela and Suggests He Won’t Intervene in Colombia
New information:
- In a New York Times interview, Trump said the U.S. will ‘rebuild’ Venezuela ‘in a very profitable way,’ explicitly tying reconstruction to using and taking Venezuelan oil to lower global prices and send money back to Venezuela.
- Trump indicated U.S. oversight of Venezuela will last ‘much longer’ than a few months or a year, suggesting a multi‑year U.S. role running the country, though without a precise timeline.
- The article links Trump’s comments to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s three‑phase plan under which the U.S., not Venezuelan leaders, would control the sale and disbursement of Venezuelan oil revenues and open the market to Western companies.
- On Colombia, after days earlier saying U.S. action there ‘sounds good’ and calling President Gustavo Petro ‘sick,’ Trump struck a softer tone following a lengthy phone call, publicly characterizing it as a ‘Great Honor’ and suggesting his threats stemmed from a lack of direct communication.
- The article describes Trump as believing that Maduro’s ouster has intimidated other Latin American leaders into aligning with U.S. demands, and notes that a Senate war‑powers resolution to limit further unilateral military action is expected to get a vote on Thursday.
- It cites new Gallup polling showing that, in the months before Maduro’s ouster, a majority of Venezuelans struggled to afford food and only a fraction had stable work, underscoring the humanitarian context of U.S. plans to control and sell Venezuelan oil.
11:00 AM
Senators force third vote to limit Trump's strikes on Venezuela
New information:
- The Senate is preparing for a third vote on a new Tim Kaine war powers resolution to require removal of U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela absent congressional authorization.
- Kaine says administration briefings indicate a likely 'few years of U.S. occupation and involvement' in Venezuela, characterizing the operation as far more than an arrest.
- Rand Paul, the lone Republican co‑sponsor, states that bombing a capital and removing its head of state is 'by all definitions, war.'
- Trump and his team are framing the Maduro capture as a 'law enforcement' operation that does not require Congress, while also saying the U.S. will 'run' Venezuela and control its oil sales.
- Speaker Mike Johnson argues the U.S. is not 'in a war in Venezuela' and says this is 'not a regime change' but a demand for behavior change, signaling GOP leadership’s legal/political defense of the operation.
January 07, 2026
11:50 PM
White House says U.S. will control Venezuelan oil industry 'indefinitely'
New information:
- White House officials now say the United States intends to sell Venezuelan oil 'indefinitely,' signaling a long‑term U.S. role managing Venezuela's oil exports rather than a short‑term blockade.
- The PBS segment explicitly links the tanker seizures to this broader policy, framing them as part of an ongoing U.S. plan to control Venezuelan oil flows rather than isolated enforcement actions.
- The report notes that the administration’s escalated rhetoric on Venezuela is occurring alongside public threats to seize Greenland from Denmark, tying the oil campaign to a wider pattern of aggressive resource‑focused foreign policy statements.
4:37 PM
US military action in Venezuela is seen as both a blessing and a curse for Russia's Putin
New information:
- Mentions, in broader geopolitical context, that the U.S. has seized two sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela, one of which is flagged to Russia and was taken in the North Atlantic.
- Connects those seizures directly to Russia’s loss of a Venezuelan oil foothold and to its narrative about U.S. behavior in its self‑declared sphere of influence.
3:41 PM
U.S. seizes Russian-flagged oil tanker with ties to Venezuela
New information:
- Confirms that the Bella‑1/Marinera was seized in the North Atlantic between Iceland and Britain after a two‑week chase, having reversed course from the Caribbean and likely headed toward a Russian Arctic port.
- Details that Bella‑1 reflagged as Russian and was granted temporary permission to sail under the Russian flag on Dec. 24, 2025, according to Russia’s Ministry of Transport, which publicly asserts that no state may use force against duly registered foreign vessels.
- Clarifies naming: the ship had been renamed from Bella‑1 to Marinera and was then sailing under a Russian flag when boarded, but U.S. European Command continues to identify it as Bella‑1 on the sanctions list.
- Provides a narrative of the chase: Bella‑1 initially refused to halt in the Caribbean, reversed course, crossed the Atlantic, and only then was boarded by U.S. forces.
- Adds a fresh description of the Sophia operation: U.S. Southern Command characterizes Sophia as a "stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker" operating in international waters, with the Coast Guard now escorting it to the U.S., and releases video of a helicopter boarding.
- Includes a direct statement from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem describing 'back‑to‑back meticulously coordinated boarding' of the two ghost‑fleet tankers and specifying they were last docked in Venezuela or en route there.
- Reports that after U.S. forces boarded the Bella‑1/Marinera, Russia’s Transport Ministry says communication with the vessel was lost.
3:31 PM
U.S. Seizes Oil Tanker, Raising Tensions With Russia
New information:
- Confirms that U.S. forces successfully boarded and seized the tanker in the North Atlantic on Wednesday after a two‑week pursuit.
- Clarifies that no Russian naval vessels were present when the Coast Guard boarded, averting a potential armed standoff.
- Details that the crew had begun flying a Russian flag as a last‑ditch attempt to avoid seizure, but did not resist the boarding.
- Specifies that the ship, formerly known as Bella 1, was sailing northeast between Iceland and Britain when seized, after earlier being stopped in the Caribbean en route to load Venezuelan oil.
- Reports that a large U.S. military package supported the Coast Guard, including a Navy P‑8 aircraft, AC‑130 gunships, and aircraft departing from Britain.
- Includes a public statement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem framing the seizure as part of enforcing a partial blockade on Venezuelan oil following Nicolás Maduro’s capture and intended to pressure interim leader Delcy Rodríguez.
3:27 PM
U.S. defies Moscow, seizes oil tanker despite Russian submarine escort
New information:
- Identifies Bella‑1 as a Russian‑flagged tanker that had changed its flag and repainted its name to evade the U.S. Coast Guard, with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem saying it had been trying to evade capture for weeks.
- Specifies that USCGC Munro conducted a 'cat‑and‑mouse' pursuit across the Atlantic, with the seizure likely occurring off the western coast of Scotland, thousands of miles from Venezuela.
- Reports that Russian vessels, including a submarine, were in the vicinity of Bella‑1 during the seizure but did not directly confront U.S. forces, according to Reuters.
- Clarifies that the second vessel seized is a 'stateless' tanker named M/T Sophia in the Caribbean Sea, with U.S. Southern Command releasing video of forces fast‑roping from a helicopter onto the ship.
- Includes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s quote on X that the blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in 'FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world.'
- Links the tanker seizures explicitly to Trump’s broader policy of a blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil and to the recent raid that captured Nicolás Maduro, noting this is the first major confrontation with one of Venezuela’s foreign backers since the raid.
3:24 PM
WATCH LIVE: White House briefing may address Venezuela operations, Greenland demands
New information:
- Confirms U.S. forces seized a second sanctioned oil tanker, the Sophia, in the Caribbean, as disclosed by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
- States both seized ships were either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it, according to Noem.
- Clarifies that Bella 1 was reflagged as Russian and renamed the Marinera after turning toward Europe, and that it had been sanctioned in 2024 for allegedly smuggling cargo for a company linked to Hezbollah.
- Adds that a Coast Guard cutter pursued Bella 1 into waters between Scotland and Iceland under the U.S. blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil vessels.
- Notes that the U.S. military handed control of the seized Marinera/Bella 1 to law enforcement officials after the seizure, per an unnamed U.S. official.
3:13 PM
U.S. seizes 2 sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean
New information:
- Confirms U.S. European Command publicly announced the seizure of the merchant vessel Bella 1 and that it was pursued after trying to evade a U.S. blockade on sanctioned oil vessels around Venezuela.
- Details that the Bella 1 was renamed Marinera, reflagged to Russia, and had a Russian flag painted on its hull while transiting between Scotland and Iceland in the North Atlantic when seized.
- Reports that the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Munro tracked the ship and that the seizure was carried out 'pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court,' after an earlier failed Coast Guard boarding attempt in the Caribbean in December.
- Adds Russia’s public reaction, with its Foreign Ministry saying it was following with concern the 'anomalous situation' as a U.S. Coast Guard ship shadowed Marinera some 4,000 km from the U.S. coast.
- Notes that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem separately disclosed that U.S. forces also took control of another sanctioned tanker, the Sophia, in the Caribbean, and said both ships were last docked in or headed to Venezuela.
- Links the seizures explicitly to President Trump’s proclamation targeting sanctioned vessels that 'threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere' and to the broader post‑Caracas‑raid pledge to keep seizing Venezuelan‑linked sanctioned ships.
1:25 PM
U.S. carrying out operation to seize Venezuela-linked oil tanker, sources say
New information:
- Confirms the Marinera (formerly Bella-1) is 'Venezuela-linked', has historically carried Venezuelan crude and was previously flagged out of Panama before reflagging to Russia.
- Specifies that the tanker had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department not only for Venezuelan crude but also for prior involvement in Iranian oil trading.
- Adds that the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping lists the vessel as ported out of Sochi on the Black Sea.
- Reports that the Russian government has officially asked the U.S. to stop all attempts to interdict the ship, according to The New York Times.
- Details U.S. thinking that they prefer to seize rather than sink the ship and that the mission could mirror last month’s U.S. seizure of another Venezuela-linked tanker, The Skipper, flagged out of Guyana.
- Notes that two other oil tankers were seized by the U.S. last month as part of the same broader campaign against the ‘shadow fleet’ carrying sanctioned oil.
1:05 PM
U.S. Forces Launch Operation to Seize Fleeing Oil Tanker
New information:
- U.S. officials say U.S. forces have begun an operation to seize the fleeing tanker that escaped the U.S. blockade near Venezuela.
- The ship is being escorted in the eastern Atlantic by a Russian submarine as the seizure operation unfolds.
- Helicopters and at least one Coast Guard vessel are being used, with U.S.-supplied tanker captains and mechanics to be sent aboard to operate the ship once it is under U.S. control.
12:15 PM
Live Updates: Trump Says Venezuela Will Send Oil to U.S.
New information:
- The article confirms that the pursued tanker (previously known as Bella 1 and linked to sanctioned Venezuelan and Iranian oil trading) has now been re‑registered as a Russian vessel and is operating under a Russian flag in the North Atlantic.
- A U.S. official says Russia has deployed at least one naval ship to meet and escort the tanker as it transits, directly complicating U.S. interdiction efforts tied to the Venezuela energy blockade.
12:46 AM
Venezuelan ‘dark fleet’ tanker evades US, reflags as Russian, flees to Irish coast: reports
New information:
- Windward intelligence reports Bella 1 repainted a Russian flag on its hull, changed its name to Marinera, and reflagged to Russia mid‑voyage specifically to avoid U.S. Coast Guard capture.
- The vessel escaped a U.S. interception attempt in December and has since been tracked by U.S. P‑8 surveillance aircraft and other allied assets roughly 230 miles off Ireland.
- U.S., U.K., France and Ireland are reportedly conducting aerial surveillance of the ship off the Irish coast.
- Reuters‑cited sources say Russia formally asked the U.S. on Jan. 1, 2026 to stop pursuing the vessel while U.S. forces continued tracking it.
- Intelligence sources say Venezuela considered putting military personnel aboard oil tankers disguised as civilians to help evade U.S. blockades.
- TankerTrackers.com alleges the ship carried millions of barrels of Iranian and Venezuelan crude to China between 2021 and 2025 and that it is part of a growing group of sanctioned tankers switching to the Russian flag as protection from sanctions and drone strikes.
12:21 AM
Trump says Venezuela to turn over 30-50 million barrels of oil to U.S.
New information:
- Beyond maritime interdictions and strikes, Trump is now publicly describing a plan for interim Venezuelan authorities to turn over 30–50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the U.S.
- He frames the oil sale as being conducted at market price with revenues under presidential control, purportedly to benefit both Venezuelans and Americans.
- The plan would shift some Venezuelan sanctioned barrels from the 'shadow fleet' context into a U.S.-managed sale and revenue scheme.
January 06, 2026
2:50 PM
Cuba, reliant on Venezuelan oil and support, faces uncertain future after U.S. removes Maduro
New information:
- Adds Cuban‑specific energy context to the broader U.S. pressure campaign on Venezuelan oil flows by quantifying current Venezuelan shipments to Cuba (35,000 barrels/day) and underscoring that they represent about a quarter of Cuba’s demand.
- Raises the explicit policy question of whether Washington will allow continued Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba following Maduro’s removal, an extension of the tanker‑seizure and 'shadow fleet' pressure strategy.
- Highlights Russia as potentially 'the only ally left with oil' that could fill Cuba’s gap and notes that deeper Russian oil support to Cuba could complicate Moscow’s negotiations with Washington over Ukraine.
12:53 AM
New details on the covert operation to capture Maduro
New information:
- U.S. officials told CBS that, alongside the Maduro raid, American forces maintain a 'massive' military presence off Venezuela’s coast and are planning to intercept another sanctioned oil tanker they have pursued for months, indicating continued at‑sea enforcement following earlier tanker seizures and planned interdictions.
- The article frames the planned interdiction as part of the same wider operational posture that supported the Maduro capture, underscoring ongoing maritime operations in addition to sanctions and previous ship seizures.
January 05, 2026
7:57 PM
U.S. plans to interdict tanker involved in Venezuelan oil trade
New information:
- U.S. forces have been actively pursuing the crude oil tanker Marinera (formerly Bella 1), historically used to move Venezuelan crude and previously sanctioned in 2024 for Iranian oil trading, and are planning an interdiction that could occur as early as this week.
- Two U.S. intelligence officials say Venezuelan officials discussed putting armed military personnel disguised as civilians and portable Soviet‑era air defense systems on tankers for defense, in conversations that occurred before Maduro’s capture.
- The Marinera, once Panama‑flagged, now sails under the Russian flag, is listed by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping as ported out of Sochi, and Russia has formally asked the U.S. to halt any interdiction attempts, according to the New York Times.
- The planned operation is expected to resemble last month’s U.S. seizure of The Skipper after DOJ obtained a seizure warrant tied to its prior role in the Iranian oil trade, underscoring a broader campaign against a 'shadow fleet' moving sanctioned oil from Russia, Iran and Venezuela.
- The article states that U.S. strikes on multiple vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific have already killed more than 100 people as part of this maritime pressure campaign, and notes Trump’s December 16 declaration of a 'total and complete blockade' on sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, claiming Venezuela is 'completely surrounded' by an armada.
January 04, 2026
2:36 PM
Transcript: Sen. Tom Cotton on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Jan. 4, 2026
New information:
- Cotton’s remarks link the military and sanctions components of U.S. Venezuela policy by explicitly listing as goals the end of drug and weapons trafficking and the expulsion of foreign actors like Iran and Hezbollah, which underpin earlier financial and maritime sanctions.
- He signals that Washington’s end‑state includes not only economic pressure but also political change via a transition to free and fair elections involving opposition leaders currently in exile.
December 31, 2025
10:21 PM
US imposes sanctions on 4 Venezuelan oil firms and 4 more tankers in Maduro crackdown
New information:
- OFAC newly sanctioned four firms operating in Venezuela’s oil sector and designated four additional tankers—Nord Star, Lunar Tide, Rosalind and Della—as blocked property.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. 'will not allow the illegitimate Maduro regime to profit from exporting oil while it floods the United States with deadly drugs.'
- State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott framed the move as continuing 'President Trump’s pressure campaign on Maduro and his cronies' and disrupting the network that props up his regime.
- The article reiterates that U.S. forces have seized two oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast, are pursuing another, and have conducted a series of deadly strikes on alleged drug‑smuggling boats, with at least 110 deaths since early September, plus a CIA drone strike at a Venezuelan dock.
- President Trump has publicly announced a 'blockade' of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela and demanded the return of assets seized from U.S. oil companies.
9:07 PM
U.S. sanctions 4 firms, oil tankers with ties to Venezuela
New information:
- CBS explicitly links the new sanctions to President Trump’s call earlier in the month for a 'total and complete blockade' on all sanctioned oil tankers entering or departing Venezuela.
- The article notes that the U.S. has already seized two sanctioned vessels as the military increases its presence in the region, connecting these seizures to the broader sanctions and maritime campaign.
- State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott frames the tankers as 'part of a shadow fleet' that funds Maduro’s regime and helps it evade sanctions, reiterating the administration’s rationale.
- The piece reiterates Trump’s recent public claim that the U.S. 'knocked out' a 'big facility' at a Venezuelan dock area used to load drug boats, tying that strike directly into the same pressure campaign as the new sanctions.
- CBS adds administration characterization that the latest sanctions are 'the latest escalation' against Venezuela and situates them within a pattern of 'dozens of deadly strikes' on alleged drug-smuggling boats.