Washington, D.C., 21 December (H.S.): United States forces, spearheaded by the Coast Guard with Department of Defense backing, intercepted and seized the Panamanian-flagged oil tanker Centuries in international waters east of Barbados early on Saturday, marking the second such operation off Venezuela's coast within weeks amid President Donald Trump's declared blockade of sanctioned vessels.

Pre-Dawn Raid and Official Footage

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the action via X, posting a seven-minute video capturing helicopters alighting on the Centuries' deck during the pre-dawn boarding by a specialized tactical team, underscoring resolve against illicit movement of sanctioned oil that funds narco-terrorism.

The vessel, recently docked in Venezuela and previously flagged under Greece and Liberia, evaded the U.S. Treasury's sanctions list but fell under Trump's December 16 order for a total and complete blockade of tankers entering or exiting the oil-rich nation, following the December 10 seizure of the sanctioned Skipper—laden with 1.8 million barrels of heavy crude from Jose terminal.

Venezuela's Fierce Rebuttal

Caracas vehemently denounced the seizure as theft and kidnapping, vowing UN Security Council complaints and global appeals, with President Nicolás Maduro's regime—accused by Washington of helming the terrorist-designated Cartel de los Soles for financing drug trafficking, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping via stolen oil—labeling it piracy and warmongering.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth affirmed on X that interdictions would persist unflinchingly to dismantle illicit criminal networks, rejecting violence, drugs, and chaos in the Western Hemisphere, as U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean—including the USS Gerald Ford—intensifies scrutiny from Congress over prior strikes on alleged drug boats killing around 100 without public evidence.

Strategic Stakes in Oil-Dependent Crisis

Venezuela, holder of the world's largest proven oil reserves, relies heavily on exports to sustain government spending, prompting use of ghost fleets to skirt sanctions—a tactic the Skipper exemplified via ship-to-ship transfers near Aruba to the Panama-flagged Neptune 6 bound for Cuba.

Trump's escalation, post-inauguration, signals renewed pressure on Maduro amid waning support from allies like Russia and China, with oil prices surging over 1.5% on blockade risks.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar