US seizes oil tanker off Venezuela as Caracas condemns 'act of piracy'

December 11, 2025

The United States military has seized an oil tanker near Venezuela's coast in what President Trump described as the largest such seizure ever conducted. The operation involved multiple federal agencies deploying helicopters from the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier, with personnel rappelling onto the vessel called the Skipper, which had been under US sanctions since 2022 for allegedly supporting terrorist organizations. Venezuela's government condemned the seizure as international piracy and an attempt to steal the country's oil resources.

Who is affected

President Nicolás Maduro's government in Venezuela
The Trump administration and multiple US agencies (FBI, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, US Coast Guard)
Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd (Nigeria-based beneficial owner/operator) and Triton Navigation Corp (Marshall Islands-based registered owner)
Venezuela's oil export operations and shippers
American citizens (referenced by Maduro)
Global oil markets and Brent crude prices
At least 80 people who have died in US strikes on boats since September

What action is being taken

US forces have seized the oil tanker Skipper off Venezuela's coast
The Trump administration is ramping up military presence in the Caribbean Sea with thousands of troops and the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier
The US has been conducting strikes on boats accused of drug smuggling in the region (at least 22 strikes since September)
Venezuela is denouncing the seizure and calling it international piracy
The US is intensifying efforts to isolate President Maduro

Why it matters

This represents a dramatic escalation in US-Venezuela relations and Washington's pressure campaign against the Maduro government, marking the largest oil tanker seizure ever conducted. The action threatens to further disrupt Venezuela's oil exports from a country with some of the world's largest proven oil reserves, which has already affected global oil markets with Brent crude prices rising. The seizure, combined with increased US military presence in the Caribbean and ongoing strikes on vessels, signals a potentially more aggressive US foreign policy approach toward Venezuela that could lead to broader regional instability and humanitarian consequences.

What's next

The Trump administration is considering conducting more operations like this tanker seizure, according to sources. However, no other explicit next steps are stated in the article regarding specific planned actions, timelines, or policy measures.

Read full article from source: BBC