The U.S. Coast Guard stopped a tanker carrying Venezuelan oil early Saturday in the second incident of its kind since President Donald Trump said the U.S. was establishing a blockade of Venezuela’s oil shipments.
“In a pre-dawn action early this morning on Dec. 20, the US Coast Guard with the support of the Department of War apprehended an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X.
“The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region. We will find you, and we will stop you,” she added.
In a pre-dawn action early this morning on Dec. 20, the US Coast Guard with the support of the Department of War apprehended an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela.
The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund… pic.twitter.com/nSZ4mi6axc
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) December 20, 2025
“President Trump has been clear: the blockade of sanctioned oil tankers departing from, or bound for, Venezuela will remain in full force until Maduro’s criminal enterprise returns every stolen American asset,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted on X.
“Violence, drugs, and chaos will not control the Western Hemisphere,” Hegseth wrote.
A Coast Guard Maritime Special Reaction Team was assisted by the Navy in the operation, according to Fox News.
The ship had left Venezuela and was in the Caribbean Sea when it was boarded, according to The New York Times.
A U.S. official said that the ship boarded Saturday, called the Centuries, is registered in Panama, but officials are trying to determine if that registration is valid.
On Dec. 10, the U.S. seized a tanker called the Skipper carrying Venezuelan oil.
Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. For multiple… pic.twitter.com/dNr0oAGl5x
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) December 10, 2025
The action is part of Trump’s pressure campaign against Venezuela.
On Friday, NBC asked Trump about future seizures.
“It depends. If they’re foolish enough to be sailing along, they’ll be sailing along back into one of our harbors,” he said.
In that same interview, when asked about the possibility of a war with Venezuela, Trump replied, “I don’t rule it out, no.”
Last week, Trump ordered a “total and complete” blockade of sanctioned oil tankers exiting or entering Venezuela, according to the The Guardian.
In addition to seizing tankers, the U.S. has been sinking drug-running boats. On Thursday, a boat was destroyed in the eastern Pacific, bringing the toll of narcoterrorists killed to 99.
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