US sanctions six more ships after seizing oil tanker off Venezuela
A day after seizing a tanker off the coast of Venezuela, the United States has imposed new sanctions on six more ships said to be carrying Venezuelan oil.
Sanctions were also imposed on some relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and businesses linked to what Washington calls his illegitimate regime.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the seized ship, Skipper, was involved in “illegal oil transportation” and would be taken to an American port.
Caracas called it an act of “international piracy”.
This marks a sharp escalation in the US pressure campaign against Maduro, where dozens of people have died in attacks on boats allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela. American warships have been advancing towards the region in recent months.
The Trump administration accused Venezuela of funneling drugs to the United States. Venezuela, home to some of the world’s largest proven oil reserves, has also accused Washington of stealing its resources. Maduro vowed on Wednesday that Venezuela would never become an “oil colony.”
But the White House press secretary told reporters on Thursday that the United States was committed to both “stopping the flow of illegal drugs” into the country and imposing sanctions.
He was not asked whether the United States plans to seize more ships carrying Venezuelan oil.
“We will not stand by and watch sanctioned ships sail the seas carrying black market oil, the revenues of which will fuel the narco-terrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world,” Leavitt said.
He added that the US plans to seize the oil in Skipper after the necessary legal process.
Leavitt also said Trump would not be “at all” concerned about Russian President Vladimir Putin calling Maduro earlier in the day and offering support to Moscow “in the face of increasing foreign pressure.”
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later said that imposing sanctions on Maduro’s wife’s three nephews, as well as a number of businesses and ships, would eliminate the leader’s “dictatorial and ruthless control”.
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On Wednesday, the White House released dramatic video footage of the raid, showing camouflaged soldiers landing on the Skipper from a helicopter and walking on its deck with their weapons drawn.
While the Venezuelan government strongly condemned the seizure of the tanker, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello called the United States “murderers, thieves, pirates.” He added that this is how the country “started wars all over the world.”
The US treasury department sanctioned the Skipper ship in 2022 for its alleged involvement in oil smuggling that generates revenue for Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, CBS reported.
The United States had increased its military presence in the Caribbean Sea on Venezuela’s northern border in the days before the raid.
It involved the deployment of thousands of troops and the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, in close proximity to Venezuela.
