In a significant escalation of maritime enforcement, United States authorities have intercepted a second oil tanker with connections to Venezuela within weeks. The operation, conducted in international waters east of Barbados, was carried out by the US Coast Guard with Pentagon support following President Donald Trump’s directive for a “total and complete blockade” against sanctioned vessels associated with Caracas.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the interception on social media platform X, stating: “The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region. We will find you, and we will stop you.” Her announcement included aerial footage showing US military helicopters operating above a large tanker’s deck.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly identified the vessel as part of Venezuela’s “shadow fleet,” alleging it was “falsely flagged” and engaged in trafficking “stolen oil to fund the narcoterrorist Maduro regime.” The tanker, believed to be the Panama-flagged ‘Centuries,’ had previously docked in Venezuela and was carrying sanctioned petroleum products.
The Venezuelan government issued vehement condemnation through Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who denounced the action as “theft and hijacking” and cited the “forced disappearance” of the vessel’s crew. Rodríguez declared these acts “will not go unpunished” and promised to pursue complaints through the United Nations Security Council and other international bodies.
Legal experts note the unusual nature of the seizure, as Jeremy Paner, a former OFAC investigator, pointed out that the specific vessel itself had not been under US sanctions. The incident raises broader concerns among Caribbean nations about US enforcement actions occurring in international waters within the region, potentially setting precedents for maritime jurisdiction and energy security.