The maritime standoff between the United States and Venezuela has intensified sharply following a weekend of aggressive naval maneuvers, marking a volatile new chapter in Washington’s economic pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro.
US Naval and Coast Guard forces have seized a second merchant vessel in international waters off the Venezuelan coast, officials confirmed late Saturday. The operation, part of a broadening effort to dismantle what the Trump administration calls Venezuela’s “dark fleet,” signals a move from passive monitoring to active interdiction in the Caribbean.
The Weekend Escalation The latest seizure occurred in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday, December 20, 2025, when US forces intercepted a merchant tanker—identified by maritime intelligence as the Panama-flagged Centuries—suspected of carrying illicit Venezuelan crude to Asia.
This incident comes just ten days after the high-profile December 10 seizure of the Skipper, a supertanker previously sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2022 for allegedly smuggling Iranian oil. By targeting a repeat offender first, the US signaled its intent to enforce long-standing red lines. The pace of operations is accelerating; as of Sunday, the US Coast Guard is reportedly in active pursuit of a third tanker, the Bella 1, further tightening the naval cordon.
Washington’s Objective: The “Dark Fleet” US officials describe these intercepts not as a blockade, but as targeted law enforcement against a “dark fleet”—a shadow network of vessels that manipulate tracking data and obscure ownership to evade sanctions.
“These vessels are operating illegally to finance a regime under heavy sanctions,” a State Department official noted. The administration has drawn a clear distinction between these “rogue” operators and authorized entities like Chevron, which continues to transport Venezuelan oil under specific US licenses without interference.
“Act of Piracy” The response from Caracas has been furious. Venezuelan authorities have labeled the seizures “acts of international piracy” and “kidnapping,” accusing the US of weaponizing international waters to enforce a de facto naval blockade. President Maduro’s government has threatened to take the matter to the UN Security Council, warning that the US is flagrantly violating maritime law.
Global Implications The seizures have sent ripples through global energy markets and diplomatic circles. Analysts warn that physically boarding and seizing commercial vessels in international waters represents a significant escalation. With US military presence increasing in the Atlantic shipping lanes and Venezuela vowing to defend its trade, the risk of a direct confrontation is higher than it has been in years.
Sources: BBC | Al Jazeera | Global Times | The Guardian
