On December 20, 2023, the United States Coast Guard, with assistance from the U.S. Navy, conducted an operation to seize a vessel in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. This action is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration aimed at increasing pressure on the Venezuelan government led by President Nicolás Maduro. The seized vessel was reportedly a Panamanian-flagged tanker carrying Venezuelan oil destined for Asia and was not under U.S. sanctions at the time of the seizure.

This operation follows a previous seizure of a large oil tanker named the Skipper on December 10, which had been sanctioned due to its connections with Iran. The U.S. has intensified its military presence in the Caribbean, with approximately 15% of U.S. Navy ships currently deployed in the region. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem characterized the operation as a success, asserting that it targets the illicit movement of sanctioned oil, which is alleged to fund narco-terrorism in the region.

President Trump announced a blockade against sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, which has led to a significant decline in Venezuelan crude exports. The U.S. has imposed sanctions on additional vessels believed to be involved in transporting Venezuelan oil, further tightening the economic noose around the Maduro administration. Reports indicate that since the U.S. imposed energy sanctions on Venezuela in 2019, a so-called "shadow fleet" of tankers has emerged to transport oil, often disguising their locations to evade detection.

Venezuela's oil ministry and state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), have not commented on the recent seizure. However, Venezuelan officials, including Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, condemned the U.S. actions as acts of piracy and violations of international law, asserting that they threaten Venezuela's sovereignty. Gil also noted that Iran has offered cooperation to counter these measures.

The U.S. military operations in the region have reportedly resulted in casualties, with over 100 fatalities linked to strikes against vessels suspected of drug trafficking. While the U.S. government frames these actions as efforts to combat illegal drug and migrant flows, there are indications that the underlying objective may be to undermine Maduro's government and exert control over Venezuela's vast oil reserves, which are among the largest in the world. China remains the largest importer of Venezuelan crude, accounting for a significant portion of its total imports, despite the ongoing sanctions.