The U.S. Coast Guard boarded and seized its sixth tanker attempting to defying American sanctions against Venezuela in the Caribbean.
Motor Tanker Veronica was seized by American forces in a pre-dawn operation on Jan. 15, as it attempted to evade the blockade established by the Trump Administration.
The Veronica, a Guyana-flagged Aframax crude oil tanker, had departed empty from Venezuela’s Amuay terminal in early January.
A U.S. Coast Guard tactical team conducted the boarding, supported by Marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, attached to the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.
The operation occurred without incident, with American military personnel deploying via helicopter onto the tanker’s deck.
The news came ahead of President Donald Trump’s scheduled White House meeting on Thursday with María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader and 2025 Nobel peace prize winner, to discuss the US capture of the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, in Caracas earlier this month and Venezuela’s future.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the seizure on social media, describing the vessel as a sanctioned “ghost fleet” tanker of foreign-flagged ships that had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was “operating in defiance of President Trump’s quarantine of sanctioned vessels.”
“Through close coordination with our colleagues in the Departments of War, State, and Justice, our heroic Coast Guard men and women once again ensured a flawlessly executed operation, in accordance with international law,” Noem stated on X.
“As we’ve now demonstrated through multiple boardings, there is no outrunning or escaping American justice — period. Our resolve is unshakeable and our mission coordination has never been better. America’s Coast Guard remains Always Ready to apply the full force of its unique authorities and specialized capabilities against this threat anywhere, anytime,” she added.
The tanker’s seizure comes less than two weeks after U.S. forces captured Maduro and his wife, who are now facing federal charges in New York, including narcoterrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to import cocaine.
Maduro and his wife have both pled not guilty.
The U.S. has continued to seize tankers attempting to run the blockade despite removing Maduro, as part of Operation Southern Spear, a weeks-long campaign aimed at enforcing sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports to increase political pressure on Caracas.
Trump announced last week a new agreement with Venezuela’s interim leaders that would sell up to 50 million barrels of crude oil to the U.S. and his signing of an executive order to “safeguard” Venezuelan oil revenues in American controlled accounts.
He also posted on X that he had a productive call on Jan. 14 with Interim President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez, former President Maduro’s vice president.
“We are making tremendous progress, as we help Venezuela stabilize and recover. Many topics were discussed, including Oil, Minerals, Trade and, of course, National Security. This partnership between the United States of America and Venezuela will be a spectacular one FOR ALL. Venezuela will soon be great and prosperous again, perhaps more so than ever before!,” boasted Trump.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate last night to kill a war powers resolution that would prohibit another attack on the Venezuela without congressional authorization.
President Trump and his administration put significant pressure on five Republicans who voted to advance the legislation last week, with two of them, Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Todd Young (R-Ind), flipping and voting against the bill.
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