Overview
- An unnamed U.S. official told Reuters the military is to focus almost exclusively on enforcing a two‑month “quarantine” of Venezuelan oil, signaling a priority on sanctions enforcement over new strikes on shore.
- The Coast Guard has seized two tankers carrying Venezuelan crude — the Skipper on December 10 and the Centuries around December 20 — and is seeking to board a third vessel identified as Bella 1.
- President Donald Trump said the United States will keep the seized crude and the ships, suggesting it could be sold or added to strategic reserves.
- At the UN Security Council, Washington vowed to maximize sanctions to deprive Nicolás Maduro of resources, while Russia and China denounced the actions as unlawful and UN experts urged Congress to halt the maritime blockade and investigate more than 100 deaths from prior strikes.
- Venezuela’s National Assembly passed a law imposing up to 20 years in prison for aiding blockades, and tanker traffic and loading have slowed as shipowners reassess risks under tightened U.S. enforcement.