US Military Seizes Seventh Venezuela-Linked Oil Vessel
The operation unfolds as President Donald Trump intensifies efforts to regulate Venezuelan petroleum exports in the aftermath of the January 3 incursion that resulted in Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro's capture. Since December, Washington has now detained seven tankers in international waters for breaching American unilateral restrictions.
Previous seizures include the Russian-registered Marinera, intercepted in northern Atlantic waters. Moscow denounced the confiscation as contravening international maritime law. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated this week that the Kremlin anticipates Washington's release of Russian nationals aboard the confiscated petroleum carrier.
US Southern Command announced Tuesday that the apprehended Sagitta was functioning in violation of "Trump's established quarantine," asserting the action would guarantee Venezuelan oil exports "is coordinated properly."
Military officials withheld the vessel's exact coordinates and registry information. Accompanying aerial imagery depicted personnel rapidly deploying across the tanker's surface, though authorities disclosed no further tactical information.
Reuters disclosed last week that the US Justice Department initiated multiple largely sealed civil forfeiture proceedings in American courts pursuing authorization to confiscate additional tankers suspected of circumventing sanctions while transporting Venezuelan-origin petroleum. These legal filings, which also encompass vessels associated with Iranian and Russian crude, reportedly constitute an expanded initiative to regulate Venezuelan oil commerce.
Following Maduro's abduction, Trump declared Washington would "run" Venezuela throughout a transition phase and requires "total access… to the oil and to other things in their country." US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has announced Washington plans to oversee Venezuelan petroleum transactions "indefinitely."
The American operations have triggered worldwide criticism. Russia has characterized Maduro's seizure as a "flagrant violation" of international law while reaffirming support for Venezuela "in the face of blatant neo-colonial threats and external armed aggression," demanding Maduro's immediate liberation.
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