Sanctioned Oil Tankers Flee Venezuela in Defiance of U.S. Blockade

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Christiaan Triebert and Anatoly KurmanaevJanuary 5, 2026 at 09:34 AM

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long article 4 min

At least sixteen sanctioned oil tankers have departed Venezuelan ports, seemingly in defiance of a U.S. blockade imposed in December 2025. The tankers, previously tracked via satellite, left after President Maduro's capture by U.S. forces. Some are using deceptive tactics, such as falsifying ship names and locations, while others have ceased broadcasting signals to avoid detection. The U.S. blockade aims to prevent Venezuela from generating revenue through oil exports, with exceptions for American company Chevron. U.S. forces have already confronted and seized one tanker, while others are being pursued. The tankers' actions may represent a challenge to the interim government's authority.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Centuries 30% China 30% Chevron 40% Skipper 40% Marco Rubio 50% Delcy Rodríguez 60% Nicolás Maduro 70% United States ×680% Venezuela ×790%

Keywords

sanctioned oil tankers 100% venezuela 90% u.s. blockade 90% deceptive tactics 80% oil exports 70% evasion 70% spoofing 60% naval forces 50% economic sanctions 50% energy exports 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.20

Source Transparency

Source

New York Times - World

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.30)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Venezuela

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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sanctioned oil tankers venezuela u.s. blockade deceptive tactics oil exports evasion spoofing naval forces economic sanctions energy exports

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