By Charles Maduka
The United States has seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela in separate operations in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, citing violations of US sanctions, according to American officials.
US European Command said one of the vessels, identified as Bella 1, was seized for breaching sanctions after allegedly attempting to evade a US naval blockade on sanctioned oil shipments connected to Venezuela. US authorities said the tanker had been under surveillance since last month.
US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also confirmed that another tanker, Sophia, was taken over by US forces in the Caribbean. She said both ships were either last docked in Venezuela or were heading there and were part of a wider “ghost fleet” used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela, Russia and Iran to international markets.
The seizures came as the US government announced it was selectively lifting some sanctions to allow the shipping and sale of Venezuelan oil to global markets. Officials said between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil would be sold initially, with proceeds placed in US-controlled accounts and distributed at the discretion of the Trump administration.
US officials said the action forms part of a broader enforcement of oil sanctions against Venezuela, adding that more seizures could follow. Venezuela-linked shipping has remained under intense scrutiny since recent US military actions and the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro, as Washington continues to tighten pressure on the country’s oil trade.
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