The United States on January 7 intercepted two oil tankers linked to Venezuelan crude exports, in a coordinated maritime operation that signals a sharp escalation in Washington’s enforcement of sanctions targeting illicit oil shipments tied to Venezuela and its allies, according to international media reports.
The first vessel, a Russian-flagged tanker formerly known as Bella 1 and later renamed Marinera, was seized in the North Atlantic after a weeks-long pursuit. U.S. authorities said the tanker had previously evaded an attempted boarding near Venezuelan waters late last year before sailing across the Atlantic, where it was ultimately intercepted under a U.S. federal court warrant.
U.S. officials say the vessel was part of a so-called “shadow fleet” used to transport Venezuelan oil in defiance of sanctions, and that the operation involved U.S. Coast Guard and military assets supported by allied surveillance.
On the same day, a second tanker linked to Venezuelan oil exports was also intercepted in Caribbean and Latin American waters as part of the same enforcement effort, underscoring the breadth of the U.S. operation and signalling a wider crackdown on sanctioned oil movements.
The seizure of the Russian-flagged tanker drew swift condemnation from Moscow, which described the action as illegal and accused the United States of maritime “piracy,” arguing that the vessel was lawfully registered and protected under international maritime law. Russia has demanded the tanker’s release and warned the incident could further strain already tense relations with Washington.
There were reports that Russian naval assets monitored parts of the operation, though no direct confrontation at sea was reported.
The dual interceptions come amid an increasingly assertive U.S. posture toward Venezuela’s energy sector, with Washington seeking to disrupt oil exports viewed as a critical source of revenue for the Maduro government. Analysts say the seizure of two tankers on the same day represents one of the most forceful maritime sanctions enforcement actions taken by the United States in recent years, with potential implications for global energy markets and rising geopolitical tensions.
