In a new operation that strengthens its military presence and control over the maritime routes of the Caribbean, the United States seized another oil tanker linked to the Venezuelan regime on Thursday.
The operation, coordinated by the Department of Defense and executed by the Joint Task Force Southern Spear, targeted the tanker Verónica, captured “without incidents” in international waters before dawn. This marks the sixth operation of its kind.
According to U.S. military sources, the operation was carried out with the support of the Amphibious Ready Group of the Navy, which includes ships like the USS Gerald R. Ford, the USS Iwo Jima, the USS San Antonio, and the USS Fort Lauderdale.
All are deployed as part of Operation Southern Spear (#OpSouthernSpear), a campaign aimed at "crushing illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere."
"Marines and sailors from the Southern Spear Joint Task Force, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, departed from the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and apprehended the tanker Verónica without incident," detailed Southern Command.
The action was also supported by the Department of Justice and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, released a video of the operation and celebrated that it was conducted "flawlessly, in accordance with international law."
He added that the Verónica was part of the so-called "ghost fleet," and that it had already navigated through Venezuelan waters, evading the quarantine imposed by Donald Trump on sanctioned ships.
"As has already been demonstrated with several approaches, there is no way to evade or escape from U.S. Justice, period," Noem stated.
"Our determination is unwavering and the coordination of our mission has never been better. The United States Coast Guard is always ready to deploy the full strength of its authorities and specialized capabilities against this threat anywhere and at any time," concluded the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.
Sixth operation against sanctioned vessels
The interception of the Verónica marks the sixth seizure of vessels in the context of Washington's campaign against sanctioned oil trafficking, particularly that which comes from Venezuela, Iran, or Russia.
In recent days, U.S. authorities also detained the vessels Olina (formerly Minerva M), Bella 1 (renamed Marinera and flying the Russian flag), Vela 1, Sophia, and Skipper.
Several of them had been under aerial and maritime surveillance for weeks.
These operations take place under a strategy that became more radicalized following the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3 in Caracas, carried out by U.S. forces and supported by the deployment of naval and aerial assets in the region.
Maduro's detention marked a turning point in Trump's foreign policy towards Venezuela and was followed by a total naval blockade.
Crude control and sales agreements
The seizure of the Verónicatiene has a key economic backdrop. The Trump administration has reiterated that “the only oil that will come out of Venezuela will be the one that is coordinated properly and legally”, referring to the new agreements reached between Washington and Caracas.
According to Reuters, the United States has already completed the first sales of Venezuelan oil under a scheme valued at 2 billion dollars.
The initial deposits, estimated at around 500 million, were transferred to accounts under U.S. control, located in Qatar, and monitored by officials from the Treasury Department to prevent third-party access.
The media outlet Semafor was the first to report on these operations, which are said to be carried out with the approval of the interim administration of Delcy Rodríguez, representing an unprecedented collaboration among former political enemies under U.S. diplomatic guidance.
A strategy of expanding strength
The campaign of seizures is not limited to controlling oil. Since August 2025, under Operation Lanza del Sur, the United States has intensified its military presence in the Caribbean, destroying vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking and eliminating most of their crew in armed confrontations.
According to the Department of Defense, these operations are designed to restore security in the Western Hemisphere, disrupt transnational criminal networks, and safeguard the energy and geostrategic interests of the United States in the region.
"We will defend our homeland by putting an end to illegal activities and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere," stated a Pentagon spokesperson.
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