Two tankers linked to Venezuela intercepted by the U.S.

Washington, January 7 - The United States continues its campaign of seizing tankers in international waters, as confirmed today by the seizure of two sanctioned tankers linked to Venezuela in consecutive operations in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem shared a video of the operations on the X platform this Wednesday, accompanied by a message.

"In two operations at dawn today, the Coast Guard conducted meticulously coordinated boardings of two tankers from the 'ghost fleet': one in the North Atlantic and the other in international waters near the Caribbean," she wrote.

The vessels, the Motor Tanker Bella I and the Motor Tanker Sophia, were located in the North Atlantic and in international waters near the Caribbean, respectively.

U.S. European Command informed on the same internet platform that the Department of Defense, together with the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, intercepted the vessel Bella I "for violations of U.S. sanctions."

The two operations add to two previous hijackings, on December 10 and 20, following President Donald Trump's order to block any sanctioned vessel entering or leaving Venezuela.

They also occur just days after the attack on the South American nation and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, following months of threats and maximum pressure from the U.S. government against Caracas.

Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, stated on X that the "blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL FORCE, anywhere in the world."

Reports indicate that one of the ships is flying a Russian flag. (Source: Prensa Latina)