On December 11, 2025, US officials revealed on Wednesday, December 10, that the US military intercepted and detained a sanctioned oil tanker near the coast of Venezuela.
According to reports from Bloomberg and Reuters, a senior official of the Trump administration stated that the US took “law enforcement action” against a “stateless vessel” near the Venezuelan coast, with the last port call of the ship being in Venezuela.
This incident occurred as the US continues its efforts to combat drug trafficking in the region and conducts large-scale military deployments, including deploying an aircraft carrier, fighter jets, and tens of thousands of soldiers.
A US official, who requested anonymity, stated that the operation was led by the US Coast Guard in the region. They did not disclose the name of the oil tanker, nor did they provide specific details on the location where the interception took place.
The Coast Guard referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Venezuelan government also did not respond to requests for comment.
Last month, Venezuela’s oil exports exceeded 900,000 barrels per day (bpd), marking the third-highest monthly average so far this year. This increase was due to Venezuela’s national oil company, PDVSA, importing more diluents to blend its heavy crude oil production. Despite Washington increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the US had not previously taken action to intervene in the country’s oil flow.
Oil exports are a major source of income for Venezuela. However, due to sanctions risks and growing competition from sanctioned oil producers like Russia and Iran, most of Venezuela’s oil is typically exported to China at discounted prices through intermediaries.
The US’s recent actions may make Venezuela’s oil exports even more challenging as other carriers may now be less willing to load their cargo.
The Trump administration is stepping up pressure on Maduro, accusing him of leading a drug trafficking and terrorism operation. The Pentagon has targeted over twenty drug trafficking vessels in waters near Venezuela and Colombia. President Trump warned that the US could take action on the ground and stated that Maduro’s “time is running out.”
On the same day the incident of the detained oil tanker was exposed, María Corina Machado, a leader of the opposition against Maduro, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.