Personnel from the United States boarded and seized a vessel off the coast of Venezuela on Saturday, according to a US official familiar with the matter, as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on Caracas. The US seized a large oil tanker called the Skipper, which had been under sanctions for its ties to Iran, on December 10. While Trump’s directive this week targeted sanctioned tankers, the vessel the US seized Saturday is not under US sanctions, the official said. The vessel was a Panamanian-flagged tanker carrying Venezuelan oil, according to the official, and was ultimately destined for Asia. Venezuela’s oil reserves are the world’s largest but operate well below capacity due to international sanctions.

Source: CNN December 20, 2025 19:15 UTC