U.S. Apprehends Seventh Venezuela‑Linked Oil Tanker Amid Trump Administration Quarantine
U.S. forces boarded and seized the seventh oil tanker linked to Venezuela, Motor Vessel Sagitta, enforcing President Trump’s quarantine on sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.
Overview
U.S. Southern Command said U.S. forces apprehended the Liberian-flagged Motor Vessel Sagitta "without incident," adding it had taken oil from Venezuela.
The seizure is the seventh since Dec. 10 and occurred amid a Caribbean quarantine of sanctioned vessels imposed during President Trump's campaign to control Venezuelan oil.
Southern Command shared aerial footage but gave few operational details; records show Sagitta registered to a Hong Kong company and was sanctioned under a 2022 executive order.
Officials say seizures enforce U.S. sanctions, allow U.S.-coordinated sales of Venezuelan oil, and help raise funds for planned investment to rebuild Venezuela's oil sector.
Critics and legal experts argue military enforcement of economic sanctions risks violating Venezuelan sovereignty and international law, amid broader U.S.-Venezuela confrontation including Maduro's capture.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this coverage as a critical narrative of U.S. assertiveness: editorial language (e.g., 'take control', 'oust...in a surprise nighttime raid') and emphasis on Trump’s oil meetings suggest motives (seizing tankers to generate cash). Sources’ quotes (Southern Command, Trump) are presented but Venezuelan, shipowner, or legal perspectives are largely absent.
Sources (6)
FAQ
The Motor Vessel Sagitta is a Liberian-flagged (or Panamanian-flagged per some reports) oil tanker owned by Hong Kong-based Sunne Co Limited, part of a shadow fleet transporting Venezuelan oil. It was seized by U.S. forces without incident for defying President Trump's quarantine on sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.
The U.S. has seized seven Venezuelan-linked oil tankers since December 10, 2025, with six in the Caribbean and one in the North Atlantic.
The quarantine enforces U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan oil shipments, ensures only coordinated and lawful oil leaves Venezuela, allows U.S.-coordinated sales, and raises funds for rebuilding Venezuela's oil sector and stabilization.
U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a raid earlier this month, bringing them to New York on drug trafficking charges; this follows a U.S. military buildup and Trump's order for a total blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil exports.
Critics, including legal experts and U.S. senators like Chris Murphy and Cory Booker, argue the military enforcement violates Venezuelan sovereignty and international law, involves corruption by selling oil to Trump donor Vitol with proceeds stashed in Qatar, and creates a slush fund.
History
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