U.S. seizes a sixth tanker in the Caribbean, but officials say this one crossed a line others didn’t

The United States escalated its enforcement campaign in the Caribbean, seizing the Motor Tanker Veronica. As reported by ABC News, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the action on social media, saying the vessel was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s quarantine of sanctioned ships in the region. The announcement comes on the same day that the U.S. and Denmark announced they will have high-level talks.

This marked the sixth tanker linked to Venezuela boarded by U.S. forces in recent weeks, signaling a more aggressive posture toward enforcing the oil blockade. Noem shared a video of the operation and confirmed that a Coast Guard tactical team carried out the pre-dawn boarding, with officials stating the seizure was completed without incident.

U.S. officials said this tanker differed from earlier cases because it had recently transited Venezuelan waters despite sanctions. Details released by U.S. Southern Command said the operation involved Marines and sailors assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Spear, who apprehended the vessel, previously known as the Texas Star, after identifying it as part of what officials describe as a sanctioned “ghost fleet.”

The administration is drawing firmer lines in the Caribbean

Southern Command described the seizure as part of a broader effort to strictly control Venezuelan oil exports, emphasizing that only shipments coordinated lawfully under U.S. sanctions will be permitted to leave the country. The Trump administration has maintained that proceeds from any future oil sales will be held in U.S.-controlled accounts, cutting off direct revenue to the Venezuelan government.

The action comes amid rapid political shifts in Venezuela following the recent capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by U.S. forces. Both are facing federal charges, including narcoterrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to import cocaine, and have entered not guilty pleas after their apprehension following the U.S. attack.

In the aftermath of Maduro’s removal, former vice president Delcy Rodriguez assumed the role of interim president, while President Trump has also engaged with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. Trump is scheduled to meet Machado at the White House, marking their first in-person discussion since Maduro’s capture and underscoring the administration’s simultaneous focus on political negotiations and strict enforcement actions in the Caribbean.

Another recent development in U.S. politics includes a notable incident where the White House publicly defended President Trump over a controversy arising from a gesture he made at a public event, reflecting ongoing domestic political turbulence.