The United States intensified its actions against Venezuelan oil trade next weekend by detaining a new vessel in international waters, the second intercepted in a matter of days and the third so far this month, according to two U.S. officials.
The authorities did not officially reveal the identity of the ship or the exact location of the operation, although Bloomberg indicated that it was "Bella 1," a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker that had been previously sanctioned by Washington and that was heading to Venezuela to load crude oil.
The interception comes a few days after President Donald Trump announced a "total and complete blockade" against all sanctioned oil tankers that enter or leave Venezuela.
The measure is part of a broader strategy of economic pressure intended to limit the Venezuelan regime's revenues, which the United States accuses of sustaining itself through oil exports in violation of international sanctions.
According to official sources, these operations seek to reinforce compliance with the sanctions and send a clear message to shipping companies, insurers, and countries that facilitate the transport of Venezuelan crude oil. By acting against vessels already included on sanctions lists, Washington intends to demonstrate that there will be no tolerance for those who try to evade the imposed restrictions.
Last week, U.S. armed forces seized a first oil tanker coming from the South American country. President Trump publicly highlighted the magnitude of that operation, describing the ship as "a great oil tanker, very large, the largest ever seized."
