By Micah Jonah
January 16, 2026
United States forces have seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea which authorities say is linked to Venezuela, marking the sixth vessel detained as the Trump administration escalates efforts to assert control over the country’s oil resources.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the US Coast Guard boarded the tanker, identified as Veronica, early Thursday after it was found operating in violation of Washington’s restrictions on sanctioned vessels in the region.
According to US officials, Marines and naval personnel from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford supported the operation alongside Coast Guard tactical units. The military said the ship was seized without resistance or injuries.
The latest seizure comes amid growing tensions following the recent US military operation in Caracas that resulted in the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Since then, Washington has stepped up enforcement actions against vessels and companies accused of operating within Venezuela’s oil supply chain.
This is the fourth tanker seized since Maduro was taken into US custody and the sixth since the Trump administration announced plans to place Venezuelan oil production, refining and exports under indefinite US oversight.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez told lawmakers on Thursday that her government is preparing reforms to laws governing the oil industry, including provisions of the Hydrocarbons Law that limit foreign participation in energy projects.
Rodriguez said the planned reforms would also involve changes to the country’s anti blockade framework, which was created to counter international sanctions imposed since 2019. She said the goal is to attract funding for new oil fields, revive idle facilities and expand infrastructure across producing regions.
She added that revenue from future oil operations would be directed toward workers, public services and national development programmes, stressing that oil remains Venezuela’s primary source of income.
President Donald Trump has openly stated that the United States now controls Venezuela’s oil sector and has urged international energy companies to negotiate directly with Washington rather than with Venezuelan authorities.
Speaking to oil executives last week, Trump said firms should no longer conduct business with Venezuela and instead work through the US government as it manages the country’s petroleum output and exports.
Venezuela holds some of the world’s largest proven oil reserves, but production has fallen sharply in recent years due to sanctions, lack of investment and infrastructure collapse. Data from OPEC shows the country accounted for about one percent of global crude output in 2024, far below its historical levels.
