Four tankers that slipped away from Venezuelan ports with their transponders turned off have been tracked back into the country’s waters amid a U.S. campaign to intercept sanctioned oil shipments. The movement follows several U.S. seizures, a reported maritime blockade, and high-level talks in Washington about taking Venezuelan crude into U.S. control and industry hands.
Reports indicate the four darkened vessels returned after vanishing in early January, reigniting questions about how crude is moved when official tracking goes dark. These events come as authorities on both sides of the hemisphere increase pressure on maritime routes that have long been used to skirt sanctions.
A larger flotilla also departed Venezuela recently, with about a dozen loaded tankers and several empty ships seen leaving despite a U.S. presence in the region since mid-December. That exodus raised alarms among regional naval forces and private tracking services watching for odd AIS behavior and flag changes.
One of the ships involved was the supertanker M Sophia, which flew the Panamanian flag and was intercepted earlier this week. Another, the Olina, was boarded by U.S. forces in a pre-dawn operation and was later reported released back to Venezuelan control on a Friday.
The Olina’s seizure involved Marines and sailors operating with federal security partners in what was described as a coordinated law enforcement action. That mission was linked to a broader push to prevent illicit transport of sanctioned oil and to enforce maritime and sanctions rules in the Caribbean and nearby waters.
“Apprehensions like this are backed by the full power of the U.S. Navy’s Amphibious Ready Group, including the ready and lethal platforms of the USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale,” the U.S. Southern Command wrote in . “The Department of War’s Operation Southern Spear is unwavering in its mission to defend our homeland by ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere.”
The Olina, once named the Minerva M, had been singled out for sanctions tied to transporting Russian-sourced oil, a designation that made it a target for interdiction. That past history of sanctions enforcement helps explain the intensity of the U.S. response when the vessel was located and boarded.
Other tankers from the earlier flotilla, identified as Merope, Min Hang and Thalia III, were observed back in Venezuelan waters later in the week. Tracking groups reported their positions after days of uncertainty about where the vessels had gone while sailing without routine identification broadcasts.
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At the same time, the White House hosted oil executives to talk about bringing Venezuelan resources into American markets and investment plans for a country in transition. Representatives from big oil and major commodity traders were present, reflecting clear industry interest in accessing those reserves as political control changes hands.
“You have total safety, total security. One of the reasons you couldn’t go in is you had no guarantees, you had no security, but now you have total security,” Trump said during the meeting. That framing underlined the administration’s argument that stronger security on the ground and at sea makes industry engagement practical and profitable.
“It’s a whole different Venezuela and Venezuela is going to be very successful, and the people of the United States are going to be big beneficiaries because we’re going to be extracting, you know, numbers of in terms of oil, like, you know, few people have ever seen actually. So, you’re dealing with us directly. You’re not dealing with Venezuela at all. We don’t want you to deal with Venezuela,” the president added. Officials say those remarks were meant to reassure firms that new arrangements would prioritize U.S. oversight and economic benefits.
The administration has also announced plans to take custody of millions of barrels of sanctioned, high-quality Venezuelan crude and to sell it at market prices under U.S. control. In a post on a social platform, he said the oil would be sold at market price and that he would “control the proceeds to ensure it is “used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!”
