US Seizure of Venezuela Oil Tanker 2026: Sixth Vessel Captured Under Trump Quarantine

Six ships down, and the tap is starting to turn in Washington’s favor. US forces have seized a sixth tanker in the Caribbean Sea, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing effort to control Venezuelan oil exports. The operation comes as President Donald Trump tightens a quarantine on vessels defying international sanctions.

Strategic Move: US Seizure of Venezuela Oil Tanker Veronica

The vessel, known as the Veronica, was boarded in a predawn mission described by officials as flawlessly executed. According to the US Southern Command, the tanker was operating in direct defiance of the established maritime quarantine. Footage released by the military shows Marines and sailors securing the deck of the crude oil tanker, which was previously linked to Russian registries before sailing under a Guyanese flag.

This crackdown targets the so-called 'dark fleet'—a network of over 1,000 ships used to transport sanctioned oil. The seizure follows the recent removal of Nicolás Maduro and a subsequent $500 million sale of Venezuelan oil by the US government. Trump has been vocal about his plans to tap into the country's massive energy reserves, even asking oil executives to consider a $100 billion investment in the nation's infrastructure.

Impact on Global Energy Markets

The aggressive patrolling of the Caribbean has crippled Venezuela's traditional shipping routes. Reports from Kpler indicate that crude oil loading has dropped to 50% of normal levels this January. Currently, roughly 15.5 million barrels of oil are stranded on 17 tankers within Venezuelan waters, awaiting their fate as the US military expands its reach.

The timing of the seizure is also diplomatically charged. It occurred just hours before a scheduled meeting between Trump and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the White House. Meanwhile, a representative of the old regime, Félix Plasencia, is reportedly arriving in Washington to discuss reopening the embassy, signaling a complex transition period for the oil-rich nation.