US threatens further 'international piracy' against Venezuelan oil tankers
This screen grab from a video posted by US Attorney General Pam Bondi on her X account on December 10, 2025 shows what Bondi says is the execution of "a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran" off the coast of Venezuela on December 10. The United States has seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on December 10, dramatically escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas.
Image: Handout / US Attorney General Pam Bondi's X Account / AFP
The US seizure of an oil tanker, and its threat to intercept others, marks a major escalation in President Trump’s effort to pressure Nicolás Maduro by cutting off Venezuela’s vital oil revenue.
Graphic shows Venezuela’s oil production over time, the world’s oil reserves by country and Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
Image: Graphic News
The operation marks the first time the US has intercepted an oil shipment originating from Venezuela, which has been under sweeping American sanctions since 2019.
The move comes amid a major US military buildup in the southern Caribbean and as President Donald Trump intensifies efforts to force Maduro from power.
According to the White House, the vessel – identified as the Skipper – was involved in “illicit oil shipping” and is being redirected to an American port for further action. Venezuelan officials denounced the seizure, calling it an act of “international piracy”.
Oil revenues remain central to Venezuela’s collapsing economy, accounting for about 88 percent of the nation’s roughly $24 billion in exports.
But years of mismanagement, corruption and the impact of US sanctions have driven production sharply downward, deepening the country’s economic crisis.
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