The United States has intensified its pressure on Venezuela’s oil trade, launching an active pursuit of a third oil tanker in international waters near the country. According to US officials, the Coast Guard is currently tracking a vessel believed to be part of what Washington calls Venezuela’s “dark fleet” — ships allegedly used to bypass international sanctions and secretly move oil.
US authorities say the tanker is operating under a false flag and is already under a judicial seizure order. This latest move comes after the US seized two other oil tankers earlier this month, signaling a hardline escalation in its maritime enforcement campaign against Caracas.
The vessel at the center of the current pursuit has been identified by maritime risk firm Vanguard as Bella 1, a very large crude oil carrier reportedly en route to Venezuela to load oil. The United States added Bella 1 to its sanctions list last year, accusing it of transporting sanctioned cargo and linking its registered owner to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. US officials claim the ship refused to allow boarding and fled northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, prompting a Coast Guard chase.
Satellite and distress signal data reviewed by BBC Verify shows Bella 1 transmitted around 50 distress signals on December 21. The first signal was detected northeast of Antigua and Barbuda, with the final one recorded several hours later further into the Atlantic, suggesting the tanker was moving at approximately 10 knots while being pursued.
This is now the third tanker targeted by the US in waters off Venezuela. On December 10, the Coast Guard seized another vessel, Skipper, which US authorities said was used to transport Venezuelan oil to Iran. The ship has since been escorted to Galveston, Texas. Over the weekend, US personnel also boarded a tanker named Centuries, which, while not officially sanctioned, was accused by the White House of carrying oil from Venezuela’s state-owned company, PDVSA.
US officials argue that these vessels are part of a “shadow fleet” used to traffic oil and fund criminal networks tied to President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The Trump administration has accused Venezuela of using oil revenues to support drug trafficking and what it describes as “narco-terrorism.”
Venezuela has strongly rejected these claims, describing the tanker seizures as outright piracy. President Maduro accused the US of attempting to steal the country’s oil wealth, pointing out that Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves. While he did not directly reference the latest pursuit, he condemned US actions as illegal and aggressive.
The dispute has now reached the international stage. At Venezuela’s request, the United Nations Security Council is set to hold an emergency session to discuss what Caracas calls ongoing US aggression. China has publicly backed Venezuela, criticizing unilateral sanctions and arguing that they lack legal authorization under international law.
As oil remains the backbone of Venezuela’s economy, the US blockade and tanker seizures strike at the heart of the country’s finances. With Washington tightening enforcement and Caracas pushing back diplomatically, the standoff at sea is fast becoming a high-stakes geopolitical showdown — and it’s far from over.
0 Comments