U.S. military personnel successfully boarded and gained control of a seventh oil tanker linked to Venezuela on Tuesday in line with the Trump administration’s strategy to manage the oil assets within the South American nation. The U.S. Southern Command reported via a social media update that U.S. forces seized the Motor Vessel Sagitta “without any incidents,” highlighting that the vessel was operating in violation of President Trump’s imposed restrictions on sanctioned ships in the Caribbean. It remains undisclosed whether the U.S. Coast Guard was involved in the takeover, as seen in previous incidents.
The Sagitta, a vessel flying the Liberian flag and managed by a Hong Kong-based company, had last transmitted its location over two months ago upon departing the Baltic Sea in northern Europe. The tanker had been subject to U.S. Treasury Department sanctions under an executive order linked to Russia’s actions in Ukraine in 2022.
The U.S. Southern Command’s post suggested that the vessel had acquired oil from Venezuela, emphasizing that their action showcases their commitment to ensuring that only appropriately and lawfully coordinated oil leaves Venezuela. The aerial footage shared by the military command depicted the Sagitta at sea, although unlike previous videos, it did not feature U.S. forces approaching the vessel in helicopters or landing on its deck.
Following the surprise nighttime removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the U.S. on January 3, the Trump administration has pursued control over the production, refining, and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products. Administration officials have indicated that seizing the tankers is a means to generate revenue while aiming to revive Venezuela’s struggling oil sector and bolster its economy.
Approximately two weeks ago, President Trump met with oil company executives to discuss investing $100 billion in Venezuela for the enhancement of its oil operations. Trump mentioned the U.S. anticipation of selling at least 30 million to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, noting that 50 million barrels had already been extracted from Venezuela. The initial tanker seizure occurred on December 10 off the Venezuelan coast, with subsequent captures taking place in the region, except for the Bella 1, which was intercepted in the North Atlantic.
After forcibly displacing Maduro from power, Trump declared that the U.S. would oversee the country for an undetermined period. Delcy Rodríguez, formerly Venezuela’s vice-president under Maduro, has assumed the role of interim president post his removal. Rodríguez announced that Venezuela had received $300 million from oil sales, the initial revenues from Trump’s oil supply agreement with Caracas. The U.S. had escalated pressure on Caracas before Maduro’s removal through military reinforcement in the area, oil tanker seizures, and operations against suspected drug vessels near Venezuela’s shores. The U.S. military presence had sparked speculations about potential U.S. intervention in Venezuela.
U.S. Military Seizes Seventh Oil Tanker from Venezuela
