US Still in Pursuit of Third Oil Tanker in Venezuela Blockade

December 21, 2025, 6:14 PM UTC

The US is still in pursuit of a third oil tanker near Venezuela, according to a US official, as President Donald Trump intensifies an oil blockade on Nicolás Maduro’s government.

The Bella 1 tanker, a Panamanian-flagged vessel sanctioned by the US, was en route to Venezuela to load, said a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified. The attempted interdiction follows the boarding of the Centuries supertanker early Saturday and the Skipper on Dec. 10.

A US official said the tanker being pursued Sunday is flying under a false flag and under a judicial ...

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