The seizure was the first interdiction of an oil cargo or tanker from Venezuela, which has been under U.S. sanctions since 2019. Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty ImagesThe U.S. has assembled a target list of several more sanctioned tankers for possible seizure, according to one of the people familiar with the matter. AdvertisementA reduction or halt in Venezuelan oil exports, the main generator of revenue for the Venezuelan government, would strain the Maduro government’s finances. Advertisement“The cargoes were just loaded and were about to start sailing to Asia,” said a trading executive involved in dealing and shipping Venezuelan oil. Many of the vessels in the shadow fleet that transport sanctioned oil are old, their ownership is opaque and they sail without top-tier insurance coverage.

Source: Huffington Post December 12, 2025 15:59 UTC