US forces seize oil tanker off Venezuela coast

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Tom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro and Andrew Roth in WashingtonDecember 10, 2025 at 10:42 PM

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US forces seized an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast, escalating the pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro's government. President Trump confirmed the operation, stating it was a "judicial enforcement action on a stateless vessel" that had last docked in Venezuela. The US Coast Guard led the operation, though details like the tanker's name and specific location of the seizure remain undisclosed. Maduro responded by urging Venezuelans to be prepared to defend against the US. This action follows increased US pressure, including a bounty on Maduro, naval deployments, and airstrikes. The US has been increasing pressure on Venezuela since August.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

María Corina Machado 50% Hugo Chávez ×280% Edmundo González ×280% Nicolás Maduro ×6100% United States ×4100% Donald Trump ×4100% Venezuela ×6100%

Keywords

venezuela 90% oil tanker seizure 90% us forces 80% nicolás maduro 80% us pressure campaign 70% political repression 60% dictatorship 60% judicial enforcement action 50% oil reserves 50% maría corina machado 40%