Washington moves to strengthen control over Venezuela’s oil trade after Maduro’s capture
The United States is stepping up its campaign to seize oil tankers linked to Venezuela, filing new court warrants aimed at taking control of dozens more vessels. According to multiple sources familiar with the operation, the move follows the recent capture of President Nicolás Maduro and forms part of Washington’s plan to consolidate authority over the country’s vast oil exports.
Civil Forfeiture Actions Filed in U.S. Courts
The Department of Justice has filed several civil forfeiture actions in federal courts, mainly in Washington, D.C., allowing the United States to seize both oil cargoes and the ships transporting them. While details remain under seal, sources said that dozens of seizure warrants have been issued or are pending approval.
The DOJ did not immediately respond to media requests for comment.
So far, five vessels have been intercepted in international waters over the past several weeks. These ships were either sanctioned or identified as part of a “shadow fleet” — tankers that mask their identities and origins to transport crude from sanctioned nations such as Venezuela, Iran, and Russia. Many of these vessels are believed to be redirecting Venezuelan oil to China, one of the country’s last remaining major buyers.
Temporary Pause in Seizure Operations
Officials have reportedly paused seizure operations since Friday, although enforcement could resume at any moment.
“The Department of War, alongside our interagency partners, will hunt down and interdict all dark fleet vessels transporting Venezuelan oil at the time and place of our choosing,”
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated on X.
Unlike earlier U.S. actions between 2020 and 2023 — which focused primarily on confiscating Iranian oil cargoes — the current campaign targets entire vessels, signaling a sharp escalation in maritime enforcement.
Rising International Backlash
The U.S. crackdown has triggered strong reactions abroad. Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned the seizure of the Bella-1 – the first Russian-flagged tanker captured by U.S. forces – calling it an “illegal use of force” and denouncing Washington’s unilateral sanctions as “without legal foundation.”
The escalation comes just days after the January 3 operation that led to Maduro’s capture. Since then, U.S. officials have announced their intention to maintain long-term control over Venezuela’s oil sector to rebuild its infrastructure and restore production under international supervision.
Oil shipments from Venezuela have reportedly resumed this week under U.S. monitoring, marking the beginning of a new phase in Washington’s assertive global energy policy.
