The United States is pursuing a third oil tanker linked to Venezuela, escalating an already fraught standoff over sanctions, energy, and regional security in the Caribbean. A U.S. official said Sunday that the Coast Guard was actively tracking a vessel in international waters near Venezuela, believed to be part of what Washington describes as an illicit oil-smuggling network.
According to the official, who spoke to CBS News, the tanker is a “sanctioned dark fleet vessel” accused of helping Venezuela evade U.S. restrictions. The ship, the official said, is sailing under a false flag and is subject to a judicial seizure order. U.S. authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the operation, and the vessel’s name and precise location remain undisclosed.
The pursuit follows the seizure of two oil tankers earlier this month, including one boarded Saturday by a specialized tactical team in international waters. That tanker, flying a Panamanian flag at the time, was not itself listed under U.S. Treasury sanctions, but American officials said it was transporting oil belonging to Venezuela’s state-run company, PDVSA. Shipping records reviewed by BBC Verify show the vessel previously sailed under Greek and Liberian flags.
President Donald Trump last week ordered what he described as a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, a move that Caracas has condemned as illegal and provocative. Venezuelan officials have accused the United States of “theft and kidnapping,” framing the seizures as an attempt to strip the country of its most valuable resource.
More than 30 of the roughly 80 tankers currently in Venezuelan waters or en route to the country are under U.S. sanctions, according to data compiled by TankerTrackers.com. Venezuela, which holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, relies heavily on crude exports to finance government operations.
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The confrontation extends beyond maritime enforcement. In recent weeks, the U.S. has increased its military presence in the Caribbean and carried out deadly strikes on boats it claims were involved in drug trafficking linked to Venezuela, killing about 100 people. Critics in Congress have questioned the lack of public evidence supporting those claims.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Washington views the current relationship with President Nicolás Maduro’s government as “intolerable,” adding that the administration intends to change the dynamic. Venezuela’s foreign minister responded by accusing the U.S. of pursuing a familiar path toward “regime change.”
Maduro denies U.S. allegations that he leads the so-called Cartel de los Soles, which Washington has designated a terrorist organization. As tensions mount, the pursuit of yet another tanker suggests the dispute is moving further from diplomacy—and deeper into open confrontation.