U.S. military forces successfully boarded and gained control of a seventh oil tanker linked to Venezuela on Tuesday, as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to manage the oil resources in the South American nation. The operation, carried out without any incidents, saw the apprehension of the Motor Vessel Sagitta, which was found operating in violation of the established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean by President Trump.
The U.S. Southern Command, responsible for the operation, did not disclose whether the U.S. Coast Guard was involved in seizing the tanker, unlike previous incidents. The Sagitta, flying the Liberian flag and owned by a Hong Kong-based company according to its registration, was last tracked more than two months ago exiting the Baltic Sea in northern Europe. The tanker had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department under an executive order related to Russia’s actions in Ukraine in 2022.
The post from the U.S. Southern Command suggested that the tanker had been involved in transporting oil from Venezuela. It emphasized the commitment to ensuring that any oil leaving Venezuela does so through proper and lawful channels. The aerial footage shared by the military command showed the Sagitta at sea, but unlike previous videos, it did not feature U.S. forces approaching the vessel in helicopters or landing on its deck.
Following the surprise removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the U.S. on January 3, the Trump administration has been focused on controlling the production, refining, and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products. This strategy includes seizing tankers as a means to generate revenue to help rebuild Venezuela’s struggling oil sector and revive its economy.
During a recent meeting with oil company executives, Trump discussed his plan to invest $100 billion in Venezuela for oil industry improvements. He mentioned that the U.S. anticipated selling between 30 million to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil. Trump also highlighted that the U.S. had already extracted 50 million barrels of oil from Venezuela and was selling it on the open market.
The initial tanker seizure occurred on December 10 off the Venezuelan coast, with subsequent apprehensions mainly taking place in waters near Venezuela, except for the Bella 1, intercepted in the North Atlantic. The Bella 1, originally heading towards the Caribbean, changed course northward toward Europe on December 15 and was captured on January 8.
After ousting Maduro, Trump stated that the U.S. would oversee governance in Venezuela for an unspecified period. Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed the role of interim president following Maduro’s removal, announced that $300 million had been received from oil sales as part of the oil supply deal with Caracas brokered by Trump.
Before Maduro’s removal, the U.S. had intensified pressure on Caracas through military actions, including oil tanker seizures and strikes on alleged drug boats near Venezuela’s coast. These actions, along with a military presence in the region, prompted speculation about potential U.S. intentions to invade Venezuela.