The United States Coast Guard has been sent after a third oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, a dramatic escalation that unfolded on December 21–22, 2025 as the Trump administration doubled down on its campaign to choke off the Maduro regime’s illicit oil revenues. This isn’t a random maritime traffic stop — officials say the vessel is part of Venezuela’s so-called “dark fleet,” sailing under false flags and subject to judicial seizure orders.
Washington’s move follows two recent interdictions that have already sent shockwaves through Caracas and among the transnational networks that’ve lined their pockets from Venezuela’s misery. The targeted ship has been identified by maritime trackers as Bella 1, a vessel the Treasury has linked to Iran and other bad actors, and U.S. forces say it was operating as part of a sanctions-evasion pipeline.
This operation is part of a broader blockade ordered by President Trump to prevent sanctioned tankers from leaving or entering Venezuelan waters, and to stem the flow of oil that bankrolls Maduro’s narco-authoritarian state. Two recent seizures — including a Panama-flagged tanker carrying nearly two million barrels that U.S. officials say was linked to state oil shipments — show this administration means business.
Good. The United States must use its full tools to enforce sanctions and protect our national security, and that includes intercepting vessels that exist to launder revenue for tyrants and terrorist proxies. Reports tying Bella 1 and similar tankers to Iran and shadowy intermediaries prove these are not innocent merchant sailors but components of an international criminal supply chain.
Yes, there are questions about maritime law and critics on the left — and even some on the right — grumble about the legalities of actions in international waters. But the Biden and Obama-era half-measures allowed Maduro’s kleptocrats to rebuild networks that traffic oil, drugs, and influence; smart, focused enforcement backed by judicial seizure orders is a legitimate and necessary response to stop state-sponsored criminality.
Make no mistake: the geopolitical threads here tie directly to our adversaries — Iran, Cuba and their proxies have been enriching themselves at the expense of Venezuelan families and regional stability. Treasury and U.S. law enforcement have labeled some of these vessels for sanctions, and the administration is acting on that legal foundation to deny adversaries the financial oxygen they’ve used to export chaos.
For Americans who cherish peace through strength, this is the kind of decisive action we should applaud rather than second-guess. Weakness invites escalation and emboldens bad actors; firm enforcement of U.S. law and sanctions sends a clear message that our sovereignty and our economic security will not be treated as bargaining chips.
Congress and the courts should give the administration the backing it needs to finish this job, while oversight ensures rules are followed and American lives are protected. Patriots know that protecting our homeland sometimes requires stepping up where others fold — and on December 21–22, 2025 the United States showed it has the will to do just that.
