"The United States Coast Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela's illegal sanctions evasion," a second US official said. "The operation came just a day after the US Coast Guard intercepted another tanker in international waters off the Venezuelan coast. Maduro has characterised the blockade and ship seizures as "corsair tactics" and a "diplomacy of barbarism. Both Russia and China have issued warnings, stating that the increased US military presence and the seizure of vessels risk triggering wider regional instability. Both nations have urged restraint and a return to the principles of international law.

Source: Economic Times December 22, 2025 14:31 UTC