US seizes sixth tanker as Venezuela’s interim leader vows oil sector reform

US forces say another Venezuela-linked tanker seized as Trump continues moves to take control of nation’s oil reserves.Published On 16 Jan 2026United States forces have seized an oil tanker in the Caribbean that the Trump administration said had links to Venezuela, the sixth tanker vessel detained as Washington moves to take full control of Venezuelan oil resources.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the US Coast Guard had boarded the tanker Veronica early on Thursday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4European troops arrive in Greenland as talks with US hit wall over futurelist 2 of 4Trump’s bluffs: Why US strike on Iran remains real threatlist 3 of 4Cuba pays tribute to 32 soldiers killed in US attack on Venezuelalist 4 of 4Trump welcomes Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado in closed-door meetingend of listNoem said the vessel had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s “established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean”.US Marines and sailors stationed on board the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford took part in the operation alongside a coastguard tactical team, which Noem said conducted the boarding.The US military said the ship was seized “without incident”.The Veronica is the sixth sanctioned tanker seized by US forces as part of President Trump’s promise to take indefinite control of the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products. It was also the fourth ship seized since the US abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a military operation in Caracas almost two weeks ago.The latest seizure came as Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, told parliament on Thursday that there would be reforms to legislation governing Venezuela’s oil sector. The Hydrocarbons Law, among other provisions, limits the involvement of foreign entities in exploiting the country’s national resources.Without providing details, Rodriguez told parliament the reforms would touch on Venezuela’s so-called anti-blockade law, which provides the government with tools to counteract US sanctions in place since 2019.