At least 16 sanctioned oil tankers have fled Venezuela in an effort to evade a US navy blockade of the country. The ships, most of which were loaded with Venezuelan crude and fuel, departed the country’s waters in “dark mode” and were spoofing their locations, making it appear as though they are thousands of miles away. The deceptive tactics appear to be part of a coordinated attempt to bypass American naval forces in the region and could open the door for US military action at sea. The ships, which had been in or near Venezuelan ports in recent weeks, had all left by Saturday in the wake of president Nicholas Maduro’s capture by US forces, according to satellite images and ship-tracking data. Donald Trump insisted that an oil embargo on Venezuela was in “full force”, yet the tankers still took the risky decision to leave port.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 05, 2026 20:36 UTC