Image: from Fox News X@FoxNews
The latest vessel, the Motor Vessel Sagitta, was apprehended without incident on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, by U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea. According to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the tanker was operating in “defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels.”
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Vessel Profile: The Sagitta is a Liberian-flagged tanker managed by a Hong Kong-based company. It had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for ties to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
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Context: Officials stated the seizure demonstrates the U.S. resolve to ensure that the “only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully.”
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Sequence: This is the seventh sanctioned tanker seized since December 10, 2025. Other recently seized vessels include the Veronica (seized Jan 15) and the Olina (seized Jan 9).
👊🏽The United States military forces successfully apprehended Motor Vessel Sagitta without any incident. This action directly defied President Trump’s established quarantine policy, which prohibited the entry of sanctioned vessels into the Caribbean region.
👊🏽This demonstrated… pic.twitter.com/HXAoyrM5jW
— VERITAS (@VERITAS_2U) January 20, 2026
Broader Context: Operation Southern Spear
The seizure is part of a dramatic shift in U.S. policy toward Venezuela following the January 3, 2026, military raid in which U.S. Special Forces entered Caracas and captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
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Regime Change and Transition: Following the ouster of Maduro, the Trump administration has recognized an interim government and moved to take direct control of Venezuela’s massive oil reserves.
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Oil Control: President Trump has stated that the U.S. intends to control Venezuela’s oil production and distribution “indefinitely” to rebuild the country’s energy sector. The administration aims to invest $100 billion in the industry and has already begun selling millions of barrels of Venezuelan crude on the open market.
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Naval Blockade: A “total and complete blockade” is currently enforced by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard (led by the carrier USS Gerald R. Ford) to prevent the “ghost fleet”—vessels operating without clear nationality or insurance to bypass sanctions—from transporting oil to or from the country.
Diplomatic and Domestic Reactions
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Venezuela: Maduro’s supporters and remaining government officials have condemned the seizures as “international piracy” and “shameless robbery.”
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International: Russia has denounced the seizures of Russia-linked tankers (such as the Marinera/Bella 1) as illegal, while the U.K. Ministry of Defence has reportedly assisted U.S. forces in certain operations.
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United States: The operations have sparked fierce debate. While Republicans argue the moves are necessary to dismantle the “Cartel of the Suns” (referring to Venezuelan leadership), prominent Democrats have expressed grave concerns that the administration is “sleepwalking into a war.”
As of today, the U.S. government claims to have already taken and marketed 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, with President Trump vowing to continue the campaign to bring down global energy prices.