According to six sources cited by Reuters, the tanker seized by the U.S. this week marks the first direct intervention against Venezuelan crude shipments since sanctions were imposed in 2019. The sources say Washington is now preparing to seize more tankers off the Venezuelan coast following the initial operation.

First Intervention and Its Signal Effect

The seizure carried out on Wednesday is viewed as a major escalation in U.S. pressure on Venezuela’s oil exports. The operation coincided with Washington’s large-scale military buildup in the southern Caribbean and President Donald Trump’s renewed push to weaken Nicolás Maduro’s hold on power.

Sources in the shipping sector say the operation has triggered widespread alarm, with many vessel owners and operators now reassessing planned voyages in and out of Venezuelan waters.

A Growing Target List

One source familiar with the matter said the U.S. has compiled a target list that includes several sanctioned tankers potentially slated for future seizures.
Two other sources confirmed that the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security have been planning these operations for months.

According to the sources, the U.S. is monitoring not only tankers carrying Venezuelan crude but also vessels that may have transported oil from other sanctioned countries, including Iran.

Sharp Statements From Washington and Caracas

Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment, while the Venezuelan government denounced the seizure as “outright theft.”

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt declined to discuss future operations but emphasized the administration’s commitment to enforcing sanctions:
“We will not allow sanctioned vessels to sail the seas with black-market oil, nor allow the revenues to fund the drug-terrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world,” she said.

Economic Pressure Expected to Deepen

Because oil exports are Maduro’s primary source of revenue, analysts say additional U.S. tanker seizures could severely strain the Venezuelan government’s finances.

The U.S. Treasury announced on Thursday that six supertankers that recently loaded crude in Venezuela—based on PDVSA internal documents and ship-tracking data—were sanctioned, as well as four Venezuelans, including three relatives of First Lady Cilia Flores. It remains unclear whether any of these vessels are among those slated for possible seizure.

Operations in the Region Under Scrutiny

In recent months, the U.S. has carried out more than 20 operations against vessels it claims were transporting narcotics in the Caribbean and the Pacific. These actions have resulted in over 80 deaths.

Experts warn some of these incidents may amount to unlawful extrajudicial killings, while U.S. officials argue that the operations are necessary to protect Americans from what they describe as international drug-cartel terrorism.

Maduro’s Accusations

A source familiar with U.S. policy on Venezuela said continued tanker seizures are likely intended to increase financial pressure on Maduro.
Maduro, however, accuses the U.S. military buildup of being part of an effort to overthrow him and seize control of the OPEC member’s oil resources.