The United States government intends to confiscate the oil cargo transported by a tanker linked to Venezuela after approving a formal seizure warrant. The information was confirmed this Thursday (11) by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, amid increased tensions between Washington and Caracas.
According to Leavitt, the oil tanker — which had been intercepted by US authorities in the Caribbean Sea — is now expected to head to a port in the US, where the Department of Justice plans to carry out the confiscation process. The spokesperson highlighted that all measures were taken within the legal framework of the United States.
“Authorities have reported that the Department of Justice has approved a warrant authorizing the seizure of the vessel,” said Leavitt.
Action increases North American pressure on Caracas
The seizure comes at a time of diplomatic and military escalation in the region, especially following recent accusations by the US government involving illicit trafficking and energy disputes with Venezuela. The action reinforces the North American strategy of toughening measures against the transport and sale of Venezuelan oil, a sector placed under several sanctions in recent years.
There are still no official details about the identity of the vessel, its original route or the volume of cargo transported, but sources cited by international agencies state that the ship has direct links with the Venezuelan state-owned company PDVSA.
Process will be conducted in the USA; Venezuela talks about “international piracy”
The US government intends to activate domestic legal mechanisms to complete the confiscation, a procedure similar to previous actions against companies and ships accused of violating sanctions.
Hours earlier, Venezuelan authorities had denounced the episode as an “act of international piracy”. In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Caracas accused Washington of acting to appropriate Venezuelan energy resources under political pretexts.
Developments could increase diplomatic tension
Experts estimate that the seizure of the oil tanker could deepen the impasse between the two countries, especially in the context of energy sanctions, international disputes and mutual accusations involving sovereignty and maritime security.
The US government did not detail when the ship should arrive at the indicated port or in which city the legal process will be carried out. The White House stated that new information will be released after formal judicial steps are completed.
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/12/11/eua-autorizam-apreensao-de-petroleiro-ligado-a-venezuela-e-planejam-confiscar-carga-em-porto-norte-americano/
