American military forces have intercepted a third vessel in waters off Venezuela within days, dramatically escalating a maritime crackdown on oil shipments ordered by President Donald Trump.
Third Interception in Days
According to reports from Reuters and Bloomberg, the United States carried out another vessel interception on Sunday, 21 December 2025. This marks the second such operation over the weekend and the third in a matter of days. Officials speaking anonymously to Reuters confirmed the action but did not disclose the specific identity of the vessel or the precise location of the operation.
Bloomberg provided further detail, reporting that US forces boarded a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker that had been sanctioned by the US authorities. The vessel was reportedly en route to Venezuela to load cargo when it was intercepted.
The "Total Blockade" Order
This aggressive enforcement campaign stems directly from an announcement made by President Trump on Tuesday of last week. He declared he was ordering "A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela."
The operation follows the seizure of another oil tanker by the US Coast Guard on Saturday. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a stark warning following that seizure, even though the tanker was not initially on published US sanctions lists. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly clarified that the vessel contained sanctioned oil belonging to Venezuela's state-run company PDVSA.
Enforcement and Consequences
In a statement posted on social media, Secretary Noem underscored the US commitment to the blockade. "The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region," she wrote. "We will find you, and we will stop you."
The immediate effect of these actions has been the creation of an effective embargo. Reports indicate that numerous loaded vessels, carrying millions of barrels of oil, are now remaining within Venezuelan territorial waters, unwilling to risk seizure by US forces if they attempt to leave. This has significantly disrupted the flow of Venezuelan oil, which the US alleges funds illegitimate activities.
