Venezuela Sanctions and Maritime Operations

The U.S. Treasury expanded sanctions on a nine‑ship “shadow fleet” and associated firms accused of moving Iranian oil and funding Tehran’s proxies, part of a broader campaign the administration ties to Iran’s repression and sanction‑evasion. Concurrently, the Trump administration has imposed a self‑declared “quarantine” on sanctioned Venezuelan tankers—seizing multiple vessels (including the former Bella 1, reflagged Marinera, after a trans‑Atlantic chase, and several Caribbean seizures) using Coast Guard, Navy and Marine forces and court seizure warrants as it moves to redirect and sell Venezuelan crude under U.S. control.